What Are the Common Injuries and Conditions Associated with Dog Bites?
by
James M. Hoffmann on Jan. 24, 2022
Accident & Injury Accident & Injury Animal Bite Accident & Injury Personal Injury
Summary: A dog bite can leave you with life-threatening injuries, which can be very expensive to treat.
While dogs are generally faithful, playful, and loving companions, they can quickly turn aggressive when startled, frightened, or threatened. They can also bite to protect themselves, their puppies, or their owners.
Sadly, a dog bite can leave you with life-threatening injuries, which can be very expensive to treat.
Below are some of the most common dog bite injuries and conditions.
1. Abrasions
These are minor scrapes and scratches that do not go beyond your epidermis. They involve little to no bleeding. However, severe abrasion may have some scarring. While abrasions can be treated and nursed at home, seeking professional medical attention can help cleanse the wound further to avoid dangerous infections.
2. Lacerations
These are bigger and deeper cuts made by dog canines on your skin tissues. They go through your skin epidermis to the muscle and bones underneath it. And they have a higher risk of infection. In addition, the bite can cause excessive bleeding.
You should seek medical attention right away to stop the bleeding and get stitched.
3. Punctures
If the dog teeth penetrate through your skin, chances are they will cause puncture wounds. While they are not as big as lacerations, they can be deeper and more prone to infections. You should seek medical attention for punctures, whether you are bleeding or not.
4. Infections
While many dog bites don’t lead to infections, it’s worth noting that any dog bite can result in infections if left untreated. You see, there are millions of bacteria flourishing inside a dog’s mouth. Also, dogs have sharp and pointed canines making it possible for a slight scratch to leave dangerous bacteria in your body.
How does one know if the wound is infected?
Common infection signs after a dog bite include pain, pus, swelling around the wound, or difficulty moving the bitten part.
5. Rabies
This is among the deadliest dog bite infection. There is minimal risk in the country, but rabies continues to threaten lives in other parts of the world. Each year it claims around 59,000 lives worldwide.
After being bitten by a dog that does not have the rabies vaccine, the best action to take would be to seek medical attention immediately!
Seek Legal Help
If you have been the victim of a dog bite in Missouri, you may be entitled to compensation. Call the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann 24/7 at (314) 361-4300 for a free case evaluation.
