post-dog fight. next step?

i hope this doesn't sound like a really dumb question, but i really
really want to take the right next step here because i think if i take
the wrong one, i'm going to be setting myself up for a lot of
frustration.

anyway, i have two pit bulls, both selectively dog-reactive and
dog-aggressive. generally it's not a huge deal. it just means that i'm
careful about their interactions with other dogs and never let them
off-leash with strange dogs or in unsecured areas. we go to obedience
classes, petstores, dog events, etc.

last night i was walking my (leashed) dogs in the middle of the street
when mushroom was attacked by an off-leash and unsupervised OES. some
fighting ensued. mushroom received some puncture wounds to the chin
and a sliced lip serious enough that i took him to the vet but not
serious enough to involve more than cleaning and antibiotics. (as far
as i understand from the owners, their dog received much the same as
far as wounds. they also offered to pay my vet bills.)

(i also called the cops and had a report filed.)

mushroom's already a somewhat defensive dog with other dogs. he
doesn't generally start stuff, but he'll overreact pretty quickly. i'm
worried what this is going to have done to his brain.

i didn't walk them today because i'm exhausted and sore, but i dont
know if i should just carry on as usual, if i should take special
steps to minimize effects, if i should not worry about it?

Rocky...

To add to what Paula wrote, later walks should be with known dog
buddies.

elegy...

we don't really have any known dog buddies outside the family :-/

Rocky...

Are the inside-the-family dogs good with strange dogs?

elegy...

it really depends on the situation :-/

Paula...

I would take him for his first walk after this incident at a time you
are not likely to see other dogs. Right after an incident that might
make him more defensive, I'd want to have an incident where nothing
happens and he can relax the defensiveness. You might also want to
just walk him for a while to make sure you have both hands if he does
react differently to strange dogs now.

the.longest.username.available...

Great advice, however I would add, use two hands, but do so in a
relaxed fashion. If your stress level elevates every time another dog
comes around it is very likely that that stress will transfer right
down the leash to him. This will only make it more difficult for him
to relax his defensiveness. So be cautious and careful, but hide the
fact that you are from the dog.