If you get bitten by a dog, the initial injury may only be the start of the medical challenges that you’re going to face. It is fairly common for dog bites to become infected. Something like rabies is very uncommon, but some reports claim as many as 20% of dog bites are going to get infected at some point.
Even when it’s not something like rabies, an infection can be incredibly serious. It can lead to medical symptoms like swelling, fever, increased pain, discharge from the wound and much more. In some cases, infections can even spread and may turn into something like sepsis, which is a blood infection that can be very dangerous.
Why does this happen in dog bite cases?
Technically, any sort of injury could become infected, which is why it’s so important to clean it out as soon as it happens.
But the problem with a dog bite is that it can be very difficult to clean. It’s a puncture wound, so the actual damage goes deep below the skin. You may not be able to clean all of the bacteria and debris from the dog’s mouth out of that area, even if you try.
Additionally, puncture wounds will sometimes be more likely to close at the top and prevent bleeding. In the moment, this makes you feel like your injury isn’t that severe. But the truth is that the lack of bleeding means that your body also has no way to naturally clean debris out of the wound.
What options do you have?
If you have suffered serious complications from a dog bite, you may have high medical bills, lost wages, and many other costs. Be sure you know how to seek financial compensation.
