How serious are dog bite wounds?
Dog bites can cause significant injury to the skin and soft tissues. The dogs teeth and jaws are very powerful and the wounds they inflict can crush or tear muscles and skin, penetrate through the chest wall causing lung collapse, or cause serious or fatal damage to intestinal organs. Even a bite that does not break the skin can cause crushing or bruising injuries to the underlying soft tissues.
Bite wounds are commonly inflicted on the legs or around the head and neck. Vital structures in the neck that could be easily injured include major blood vessels, numerous nerves, the esophagus (tube connecting the throat with the stomach), and the trachea (windpipe). Wounds on the face can cause severe damage to the eyes, ears, or mouth. With bite wounds on the legs, there is a risk that the injury can involve the joints.
Since the dogs mouth is full of bacteria, any bite that does puncture the skin will introduce bacteria or other infectious organisms below the skin surface, where the bacteria can multiply and spread throughout the underlying tissues. Therefore, all bite wounds are considered to be contaminated and/or infected. Left untreated, the bacteria in an infected bite wound will cause a localized abscess or more generalized cellulitis (a tissue infection) that spreads through the surrounding area. In rare cases, a penetrating bite wound can cause septic arthritis (infection of the joint), osteomyelitis (infection of the bone), pyothorax (pus in the chest cavity) or septic peritonitis (pus in the abdominal cavity).
Most people will notice a dog bite become close to fully healed within 10 days of the animal attack. Deeper bites will take longer, though, and require initial medical attention, such as stitches.
Slight amounts these symptoms are usually normal, though. Mild amounts of pain are also normal in the first few days of the healing process, especially when the bitten body part is moving or used. If pain or other symptoms are moderate to severe, then you should go to urgent care for assistance.
Were you bitten by a dog and the injury was bad enough to break the skin? You need to take care of the injury as best you can and keep an eye on it while it heals.
Lastly, seek immediate medical attention after a dog bite if you have any reason to believe the dog was rabid. Symptoms of rabies in dogs usually include heightened aggression and excessive drooling. If there is a risk that you have encountered a rabid dog, then the treating physician will administer a rabies shot. Rabies can be fatal if untreated, so see a doctor within 24 hours of any dog bite that breaks the skin when the dog could have been rabid.
If you have been bitten by a dog, then you should speak with a local dog bite lawyer about the potential of filing a claim. Even moderate dog bites can sometimes constitute the need for a claim or lawsuit if the pain caused is severe. The emotional traumatization of a dog attack can also warrant a claim, but you should talk to a lawyer to figure out your options.
What sort of treatment will be given to my dog?
Your veterinarian will determine what sort of treatment is necessary, based on the extent of the injuries, your dogs general health, and the location of the wounds. The goal of treatment is to reduce the severity of any infection that develops. This will be accomplished by cleaning the wounds, removing any dead or severely damaged tissue, and potentially surgically closing the wounds if possible.
Antibiotics may be prescribed for wounds that have penetrated the skin depending on the location of the wound and the duration between bite time and presentation to your veterinarian. For minor injuries, or for wounds that must be left open to heal, your veterinarian may prescribe a topical antibiotic. If there is any doubt about skin penetration, your veterinarian may prescribe a broad spectrum antibiotic (such as amoxicillin-clavulanate, or for more complicated cases, enrofloxacin; brand name Baytril®) to lessen the chance that a serious infection will develop. The sooner antibiotics are begun after a bite injury the quicker the infection will be brought under control. Wounds that are treated within 6 hours of the injury have the best chance of healing without complications.
Most wounds are painful and it is more humane for your animal to be given some sort of pain medication, a sedative, or anesthetic before attempting to assess the extent of the injuries. Your veterinarian will then shave the fur off of the skin that surrounds the wounds to lessen the potential for further contamination, and will flush the wounds to remove any contaminants and debris. For extensive wounds, severely contaminated wounds, or wounds in sensitive areas of the body (such as near the eyes, mouth, or ears), it will be necessary to put your dog under general anesthetic so that the area can be safely and thoroughly cleaned and treated. Additional pain medications will be sent home, most typically non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as meloxicam (Rheumocam®, Metacam®), deracoxib (Deramaxx®), or carprofen (Rimadyl®).
Small puncture wounds will usually be left open so that any infection can drain out. Lacerations will be sutured up, and temporary drains may be placed if the damage is extensive, or if there is a chance that fluid will build up in the area. Most lacerations will be debrided (any infected or compromised skin tissue will be cut away and the edges of the laceration will be trimmed). In many cases, skin wounds will be enlarged to allow the underlying tissues to be thoroughly examined and cleaned.
Experts recommend that bacterial culture and sensitivity tests should be performed to determine the type of bacteria involved and the best antibiotics to treat these bacteria. However, it takes a couple of days for the test results to be ready, so your veterinarian may not perform these tests unless your pets wounds do not respond appropriately to initial broad spectrum antibiotic treatment.
How To Treat A Dog Bite Wound
Dog attacks can cause devastating injuries: Every year, almost 900,000 Americans require medical attention because of dog bites, and about 27,000 of these victims require multiple corrective or reconstructive surgeries to treat their injuries.
If you’ve suffered severe injuries after being attacked and bitten by a dog, you’re probably dealing with anxiety over the days and months ahead as well as physical pain and the exhausting process of surgery and other medical treatment. To help lift the cloud of uncertainty, we’ll discuss some common complications and challenges that dog bite victims face and different ways you can address them.