Dog Bite Infection
Dog bite definition and facts
- Dog bites account for up to 90% of all animal bites. 4.5 million dog bites occur each year in the U.S., and more than 27,000 victims require reconstructive surgery.
- Injuries may involve structures deep beneath the skin including muscles, bones, nerves, and blood vessels.
- Infections, including tetanus and rabies, need to be considered for a dog bite.
- Wound cleaning decreases the risk of infections from a dog bites.
- Skin repair increases the risk of infection, and the decision to suture the skin balances the risk of infection versus the benefit of a better appearing scar.
What are the statistics for dog bites?
- Almost 70 million dogs live in the United States, and since many victims of dog bites don't seek medical care or report the attack, it may be that the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s estimate of 4.5 million dog bites each year in the U.S. may be too low. Over one million of dog bite victims go to emergency medical care at hospitals in the U.S. every year.
- Dogs have rounded teeth, and it is the pressure exerted by their jaws that can cause significant damage to the tissues under the skin, including bones, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, and nerves.
- The risk of being bitten by a dog increases if there is a dog in the home; the more dogs there are, the greater the risk.
- Men are more frequent bitten by dogs than women, who are bitten by cats more often.
Children between the ages of 5 and 9 are more likely to be bitten by a dog than other age groups. Children are also more likely to need medical attention.
- Almost 70 million dogs live in the United States, and since many victims of dog bites don't seek medical care or report the attack, it may be that the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s estimate of 4.5 million dog bites each year in the U.S. may be too low. Over one million of dog bite victims go to emergency medical care at hospitals in the U.S. every year.
- Dogs have rounded teeth, and it is the pressure exerted by their jaws that can cause significant damage to the tissues under the skin, including bones, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, and nerves.
- The risk of being bitten by a dog increases if there is a dog in the home; the more dogs there are, the greater the risk.
- Men are more frequent bitten by dogs than women, who are bitten by cats more often.
What should you do if a dog bites you or someone else (first aid)?
- If a dog bites you or someone that you are with, you need go to a safe place away from the dog that has bitten you to prevent further attack and injury. Since dog bites can cause significant damage beneath the skin, a type of injury that cannot always easily be seen, call your doctor or go to the nearest Urgent Care or Emergency Department.
- Wounds should be kept elevated and, if possible, you may attempt to clean the dog bite with tap water.
Gather information from the dog's owner about the dog's rabies immunization status, but if this is not possible, hospital, animal control centers, or law enforcement personnel will help gather any required information.
- If a dog bites you or someone that you are with, you need go to a safe place away from the dog that has bitten you to prevent further attack and injury. Since dog bites can cause significant damage beneath the skin, a type of injury that cannot always easily be seen, call your doctor or go to the nearest Urgent Care or Emergency Department.
- Wounds should be kept elevated and, if possible, you may attempt to clean the dog bite with tap water.
When should I call the doctor for a dog bite?
Medical care should be accessed if the dog bite disrupts the skin causing a puncture, laceration, or tear. Moreover, if there is pain at or near the dog bite, underlying tissues and other structures may have been damaged and medical care may be needed.
If there are no signs of skin damage or if there is a small amount of abrasion from a dog bite, it may be reasonable to watch for signs and symptoms of infection (pain, redness, warmth, swelling, and drainage of pus or fluid) before seeking medical care.
Please note: if the victim elects not to seek medical care, the rabies immunization status of the dog must be determined immediately. Rabies therapy, if necessary, must begin as soon as possible. The victim's tetanus status also needs to be current.
Exposure to a rabid animal does not always result in rabies. If treatment is initiated promptly following a rabies exposure, rabies can be prevented. If a rabies exposure is not treated and a person develops clinical signs of rabies, the diseased usually results in death.
Infants and children should be evaluated after any dog bite.
Medical care should be accessed if the dog bite disrupts the skin causing a puncture, laceration, or tear. Moreover, if there is pain at or near the dog bite, underlying tissues and other structures may have been damaged and medical care may be needed.
If there are no signs of skin damage or if there is a small amount of abrasion from a dog bite, it may be reasonable to watch for signs and symptoms of infection (pain, redness, warmth, swelling, and drainage of pus or fluid) before seeking medical care.
Please note: if the victim elects not to seek medical care, the rabies immunization status of the dog must be determined immediately. Rabies therapy, if necessary, must begin as soon as possible. The victim's tetanus status also needs to be current.
Exposure to a rabid animal does not always result in rabies. If treatment is initiated promptly following a rabies exposure, rabies can be prevented. If a rabies exposure is not treated and a person develops clinical signs of rabies, the diseased usually results in death.
Infants and children should be evaluated after any dog bite.
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