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The course of dog bite healing depends on the location and severity of a person’s dog bite injuries. Of the 4.7 million people who become the victims of dog bite injuries annually, approximately 800,000 will require medical attention to facilitate the dog bite healing process. Another 230,000 people will require hospitalization in order to achieve successful dog bite healing.
Dog bite healing will depend on the extent of a person’s injuries. The sooner a person’s injuries are cared for, the greater their prognosis for proper dog bite healing. Injuries that involve damage to the face, head, neck, hands, or feet and those that break skin or are deep puncture wounds should be examined by a medical professional who can direct the course of dog bite healing.
A doctor will examine injuries for possible nerve or tendon damage, signs of infection, and any possible bone injuries. They will often clean and dress all wounds with a special solution in order to reduce the risk of complications. Dog bite healing of wounds may require stitches or the wounds may be left open for healing. Doctors will often prescribe an antibiotic to prevent any infections that may develop in the dog bite healing process. A follow up appointment is usually made to check the progress of a patient’s dog bite healing. If a dog bite is severe, a doctor may recommend that a patient see a specialist for further dog bite healing treatment.
Infections pose a major threat to dog bite healing, especially if a bite breaks skin or causes a deep wound. There are a number of infections that could potentially compromise dog bite healing, the most notable of which are tetanus and rabies. If a dog bite victim has not had a tetanus shot within the last five years, a doctor may give a booster shot to ensure that tetanus does not threaten the dog bite healing process.
Information about the dog that bit the victim is vital. When the owner of a dog who bit can be identified, the victim should request the dog’s current vaccination records in order to ensure that the dog is up to date on its rabies vaccinations. Even if the dog is up to date on vaccines and appears to be healthy, most jurisdictions will require a quarantine period to observe the animal for rabies. If the dog that bit is a stray, appears to be unhealthy, or is not up to date on rabies vaccinations, a doctor may recommend that a dog bite victim receive rabies treatment to ensure dog bite healing. Rabies is fairly uncommon in the United States, but approximately one in ten dog bite cases require rabies treatment.
During the course of dog bite healing a patient should be carefully monitored for any signs of infection or other complication. Symptoms of infection can include: fever, swelling, redness, tenderness, pus or other discharge, and delayed healing. When a person is bit by a dog, the canine’s owner can be held liable for the medical cost of a victim’s dog bite healing.
For more information on dog bite healing, you may wish to contact an attorney who can advise you of your rights and options in a case to seek compensation for your losses.
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