First aid after a dog bite, step by step
Calm comes first. Bring yourself and everyone involved out of the danger zone and calm the situation. Then treat the wound:
- Clean the bite wound immediately and for a few minutes under running, lukewarm water, with a little mild soap if there is visible dirt.
- Disinfect the wound with a suitable wound disinfectant.
- Cover the wound loosely with a sterile compress or a clean cloth.
- For heavily bleeding wounds, apply pressure with a clean cloth and hold the affected body part up.
- Note down the contact details of the dog owner and any witnesses and take photos of the wound. This helps later when clarifying what happened.
For a deep wound, heavy bleeding or a bite to the face or neck, call the emergency number 112 immediately.
What this means: Even if the wound looks small, every dog bite should be assessed by a doctor as a precaution. You will read why in the next section.
When you need to see a doctor after a dog bite
The honest answer is: almost always. A dog bite is what is known as a primarily infected wound, because the saliva carries bacteria deep into the tissue. Even a mild dog bite without heavy bleeding or a wound that looks superficial can become infected. In the medical literature, 5 to 20 percent of dog bites become infected.
In any case, see a doctor promptly if one of these points applies:
- The wound is deep, gaping, bleeding heavily or located on the hand, face, a joint or the genital area.
- There are signs of infection: redness, swelling, warmth, increasing pain, discharge or a red streak spreading away from the wound.
- The person bitten is a child, an older person or has a weakened immune system.
- The tetanus protection is unclear or the last vaccination was a long time ago.
Tip: Bring your vaccination record. For bites with an increased risk of infection, the tetanus protection is often refreshed when the last vaccination was more than five years ago. For deep wounds or wounds in critical areas, the practice often prescribes an antibiotic as a precaution. Bite injuries are also often not fully stitched up right away, so as not to give infections room to develop. This guide does not replace a medical examination.
Focus on the cuddles, we'll focus on the costs.
Healing process and possible long-term effects
How a dog bite heals depends heavily on the depth and location of the wound. With clean care, superficial bites usually heal within one to two weeks. Deeper lacerations and crush wounds take longer and are monitored by a doctor.
Possible long-term effects are:
- Wound infection: the most common problem, often a few days after the bite, recognisable by redness, swelling and pain.
- Scars: especially with deeper wounds or bites to the face.
- Functional impairment: when tendons, nerves or joints were affected, above all on the hand.
- Psychological effects: fear of dogs or trauma, especially in children.
Watch the wound closely in the days after the bite. If pain, redness or swelling increase or a fever develops, go back to the practice.
Who is liable when a dog bites
If a dog bites a person or another animal, in Germany the owner is liable. The basis is the animal keeper's liability under Section 833 of the German Civil Code (BGB). For privately kept dogs this is strict liability: the owner is liable even without fault, so even if they did everything right.
This liability remains even if the person bitten unintentionally contributed by provoking the dog, for example by petting it. Contributory fault can reduce the amount but does not remove the liability. A special case applies when two dogs get into a scuffle and an owner is bitten in the process: the injured person then has to accept the inherent animal risk of their own dog, which often leads to shared liability.
This is exactly where dog liability insurance comes in: it covers justified claims from the injured party and fends off unjustified demands. Without insurance you are liable with your private assets. This section is a general overview and does not replace legal advice.
Compensation for pain and suffering after a dog bite
Anyone injured by a dog bite is generally entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, governed by Section 253 of the German Civil Code (BGB). There is no fixed table; the courts set the amount case by case. What matters is the severity of the injury, lasting effects such as scars, psychological strain and any contributory fault.
The range is wide: for minor injuries it is often a few hundred euros, for serious injuries with permanent consequences considerably more. In a case decided by the Karlsruhe Higher Regional Court a woman was awarded 25,000 euros in compensation after a bite to the hand with severe follow-up complications, at half liability, because her own dog had also been involved in the scuffle.
In addition to compensation for pain and suffering, damages can be added, for example for loss of earnings, care or household help. For owners this shows how quickly large sums add up, and why dog liability insurance is so important. It handles such claims for you.
What to expect if your dog has bitten someone
If your dog has bitten someone, you should deal with it fairly and quickly. Here is what to do and what to expect:
- First aid and exchanging details: look after the injured person and hand over your contact and insurance details.
- Inform your liability insurer: report the incident to your dog liability insurance, which takes over the further handling.
- Official review: if the incident is reported to the public order office, it checks whether your dog poses a danger. Requirements such as a leash or muzzle obligation or a temperament test are possible, regardless of size and breed.
- Legal consequences: depending on severity, civil claims for damages and compensation for pain and suffering can be added, and in serious cases a criminal investigation.
Important: a formal complaint is not a precondition for the injured person to make claims. All the more reason to handle the incident calmly, honestly and through the insurance.
Focus on the cuddles, we'll focus on the costs.
When a dog bites a child
Children are especially at risk from dog bites. Because of their height they are more often hit in the head and neck area, where injuries are more serious. And most bites happen not through unfamiliar dogs but through known dogs in a familiar setting.
If a child is bitten, the rule is: always see a doctor, even for small wounds. Alongside the physical injury you should keep an eye on possible emotional effects and, if in doubt, seek support.
Prevention helps most. Never leave children and dogs alone unsupervised, teach children early to leave an eating or sleeping dog in peace, and watch for your dog's warning signals such as freezing, growling or a turned-away gaze.
Figures, costs and how Dalma protects you
In Germany there are an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 bite injuries per year. There is no exact figure, because there is no reporting obligation. Around 60 to 80 percent of them are caused by dogs. Children are affected disproportionately. And in about 90 percent of cases the biter is the owner's own or a known dog, not an unfamiliar animal.
This matches what we see in our own treatment data, though from a different angle: here it is about insured dogs that are themselves bitten, usually by another dog while playing or in a scuffle. Of around 23,700 analysed treatment cases from 50 euros upwards, 128 were bite injuries. The median reimbursement was around 200 euros, and individual cases with surgery and aftercare reached around 2,750 euros.
Our assessment: Bite injuries are everyday events, not the exception, and they affect both sides: people and dogs. That is exactly why it is worth taking a double look at cover, for damage your dog causes and for the treatment of your dog if it is injured itself.
Costs and how Dalma protects you
A dog bite can become expensive in two ways. If your dog injures a person or another animal, it is about treatment costs, compensation for pain and suffering and possible follow-up costs for the injured party. If your own dog is bitten, it is about its vet costs.
- The Dalma dog liability insurance covers personal injury, property and financial damage that your dog causes to third parties, with up to 15 million euros and no waiting period.
- The Dalma dog insurance covers the treatment of your dog if it is injured itself, up to four times the GOT rate, with reimbursement of 80 or 100 percent and an annual benefit limit of 1,500 euros up to unlimited.
This way you are covered for both sides of a biting incident. You can read how liability and health insurance complement each other in the guide Dog liability and health insurance.
Frequently asked questions about dog bites
What should you do about a dog bite?
Clean the wound immediately and thoroughly with water, disinfect it and cover it with a sterile dressing. Apply pressure to heavily bleeding wounds and hold them up. Note down the owner's details and have the wound looked at by a doctor, even if it looks small. For a deep wound or a bite to the face, call the emergency number 112.
Do I need to see a doctor for a mild dog bite?
Yes. Even a mild or superficial dog bite can become infected, because bacteria from the saliva get into the wound. Between 5 and 20 percent of dog bites become infected. Have the wound assessed by a doctor and your tetanus protection checked.
What does a mild dog bite without bleeding mean?
What matters is whether the skin is broken. If the skin stays intact and there is only a bruise or a crush mark, the risk of infection is low. Cool the area and keep an eye on it. If, on the other hand, the skin is broken, even if it barely bleeds, bacteria can get in. Then the same applies as for any bite: clean it, disinfect it and have it assessed by a doctor. If swelling, redness or pain increase, see a practice in any case.
Who is liable when a dog bites?
In Germany, under Section 833 BGB the owner is liable, even without their own fault. Dog liability insurance covers the costs. In a scuffle between two dogs, the injured person may have to accept the inherent animal risk of their own dog.
How much compensation is there for a dog bite?
The court sets this case by case; there are no fixed amounts. For minor injuries it is often a few hundred euros, for serious injuries with permanent consequences considerably more, in individual cases several tens of thousands of euros. The owner pays, or rather their dog liability insurance.
What happens to my dog if it has bitten someone?
If the incident is reported to the public order office, it checks whether your dog poses a danger. Requirements such as a leash or muzzle obligation or a temperament test are possible, regardless of breed and size. Your dog liability insurance handles the financial claims.
Sources and further information
- Deutsches Ärzteblatt, animal and human bite injuries (Rothe, Tsokos, Handrick)
- Deutsches Grünes Kreuz, bite injuries are not the least bit harmless
- Section 833 BGB, liability of the animal keeper, gesetze-im-internet.de
- Karlsruhe Higher Regional Court, ruling on compensation and liability after a dog bite
- Dalma insurance terms and conditions
- Dalma table of benefits
- Dalma DE internal claims database, dogs, cases from 50 euros upwards, analysed at incident level (128 bite injuries, aggregated analysis, reproducibly documented)
Sources and further information
- Deutsches Ärzteblatt, animal and human bite injuries (Rothe, Tsokos, Handrick)
- Deutsches Grünes Kreuz, bite injuries are not the least bit harmless
- Section 833 BGB, liability of the animal keeper, gesetze-im-internet.de
- Karlsruhe Higher Regional Court, ruling on compensation and liability after a dog bite
- Dalma insurance terms and conditions
- Dalma table of benefits
- Dalma DE internal claims database, dogs, cases from 50 euros upwards, analysed at incident level (128 bite injuries, aggregated analysis, reproducibly documented)
