Summarize:

Look at the bite to evaluate how severe the victim's condition is. Check for signs such as bruising, punctured skin, bleeding, and objects stuck in the wound. The more severe the bruising or bleeding looks, the worse the bite is. A bite that shows only minor scratching and irritation to the skin is likely not serious. It should be cleaned with soap and warm water and monitored as it heals, but likely will not need medical attention. A severe bite that may need additional attention will include either rapid heavy bruising of unbroken skin, heavy or uncontrollable bleeding of broken skin, multiple punctures to the skin, or an object such as a tooth stuck in the skin. If possible, try to quickly identify the type of animal that caused the bite. Naturally venomous reptiles, amphibians, and arachnids may or may not be de-fanged, and dogs with strong jaws such as pitbulls and rottweilers may be able to cause greater immediate injury. If the pet was not yours, ask the owner what type of animal the pet was, down to the species or breed. If you don't know if a certain type of exotic pet is venomous, quickly search online or call a local vet's office to see if they have anymore information. A little bleeding is common with many pet bites, but rapid or uncontrollable bleeding can quickly become problematic. Look at the bite site to see if blood is slowly pushing out of the injury, or if there is a fast flow or heavy squirts of blood. Regardless of how much blood is being lost, try to stop excess blood flow by elevating the injury and applying pressure to the wound when possible. Use medical gauze or a towel to keep the blood from getting on others. If you notice blood loss, it is important to act quickly to slow the loss and seek medical attention. After you get the bleeding under control, you need to see a doctor right away. If you can't stop the bleeding within 10 minutes, then call 911. A loss of as little as 15 percent of a person's blood can have negative side effects. A pet bite that breaks the skin will likely cause some form of discomfort. However, extreme pain may be an indicator of problems under the surface such as hemorrhaging or a broken bone. Check with the bite victim to see if they feel any identifiable discomfort under the broken skin. You may also test levels of pain by applying very gentle pressure to the affected area. If the bite victim has an extreme reaction to a normal touch, that may indicate trauma under the skin. If the bite was accompanied by other force, such as the pet knocking the person down or pushing them into a wall, look for other potential injuries such as serious bruising, a concussion, or other breaks and tears in the skin. Even if the bite is not serious, accompanying injuries may be. Additional injuries may be especially common when a larger animal such as a large-breed dog bites a child or an already injured individual. Signs of additional trauma may include pain or swelling at a point of impact, broken skin and/or bleeding, or heavy bruising on an impacted area. If you notice any signs of physical trauma, do not wait to see if more problems appear. Seek medical attention at a clinic or emergency room. Let the doctors know everything you can about the bite, including what type of animal caused it, when it happened, and any pain or symptoms that the bite victim has reported. You should seek emergency medical treatment if: the bite is from a severe attack. there is heavy bleeding. there is injury to the face, eyes or scalp. the bite is from a stray pet or household pet that has not or may not have received rabies protection.
Determine the severity of the bite. Identify the type of animal. Look for loss of blood. Evaluate pain levels. Find any additional injuries. Seek immediate medical treatment.