I have my own critters, I am not unduly perturbed by animals, but you would think that people who call the fire department, the ems, and the cops to their house would think to round up pets. We ask the owners to get them out of the way, but sometimes little old ladies have trouble doing that. I hate to round'em up myself, cuz I don't want to get bit or have the owners get mad, but on some of our frequent flyers the dogs have gotten to know me and let me pen them up. Anyway, I haven't been bitten (yet), but your experience didn't sound like fun. Since you asked for inputs from the keyboard crowd, here are mine.
1. Politely/firmly ask your [management to ask your] patient to have the critters securely penned up when you arrive for your next visit. I know he/she tried this time, but the owner needs to try harder. Maybe a gentle reminder that there are legal repercussions to having his or her dog bite someone.
2. Scope out exit routes and places of safety before you go in. This might be useful even if they don't have dogs....
3. As far as being actually under attack -- Same as for people: quickly (as in violently) get off the line of attack. Move left or right or diagonally, but get out of the way. It can disrupt the attack at least somewhat, cause the dog to have to shift. It might give you time to get your pepper spray or other weapon out (altho probably not if it is in an ankle holster
), or grab a shield of some kind. Do you carry some kind of medical bag? briefcase? Grab a chair or garbage can, or whathaveyou. I know at some houses we go to it's hard to move laterally, there's stuff in the way, or we're in a doorway, but either retreating or even charging forward can put the dog off balance a bit. I wouldn't turn my back on him to do all this though.I've also thought that if it I can't avoid it, I am going put my left are out to protect the rest of me, (You did well with the punch!) give him something to latch onto besides my throat or my leg, and then do my best to pin him against something, then deal with him -- probably, at that range, with my knife. If I can get some piece of clothing around my arm first, all the better. I hate the thought of hurting a dog, but if it is him or me it's him. And then be prepared to deal with the owner. The owner might not be pleased with getting his dog carved up, even if it is his own fault.
Oh, and I'd double check on the rabies vaccination... I know it was only a scratch, but hmmmm...