Generality
The dog bite is a lesion of a traumatic nature which, depending on the size of the animal and its intentions, can be more or less serious.
This occurrence mostly occurs accidentally, when the animal is inadvertently annoyed : normally, a dog bites when it feels threatened or if it is in a situation of high stress .
If it appears immediately serious, the wound that results from the dog bite must be examined by the doctor and treated to avoid problems that are relevant from the clinical point of view, such as an infection due to the direct inoculation of the pathogenic microorganisms present in the mouth and on the teeth of the animal. The likelihood of the latter complication occurring depends not only on the type of animal involved, but also on the site, the type of injury, the inoculated infectious agents and the victim's immune status.
What's this
The dog bite is a wound that results from a reaction of the animal, generally of a defensive nature.
Often, the bites are inflicted by animals known or with which the victim has a certain confidence; rarely, this injury is caused by stray dogs .
Dogs are animals with large teeth that can cause:
- Surface abrasions ;
- Tear in the tissues ;
- Penetrating wounds ;
- Bone fractures .
In addition to these local consequences, dog bites can lead to complications of various kinds, as well as exposing the victim to the risk of contracting tetanus and rabies .
Did you know that…
Dog bites are less common due to infection than humans or cats .
Causes and Risk Factors
In many cases, the reasons why a dog bites humans may seem seemingly inexplicable. However, it should be emphasized that when the attack or defense of the dog is resolved with a bite, it is not always the animal's fault.
Similarly, if a dog bites it does not mean that it is "bad" or aggressive, as is often mistakenly believed.
Why does a dog bite?
A dog bite is a behavioral reaction that can occur in various situations.
In particular, the animal can bite if:
- He wants to defend himself from physical aggression;
- He feels threatened or trapped;
- He is scared or heavily stressed by a certain situation, for example:
- He has not been in much contact with people in his life;
- He is struggling with another dog;
- It interprets a behavior as an invasion of its territory;
- He is disturbed when he is eating or sleeping;
- He defends and wants to control what he considers his own (for example: a game, the territory, the members of the family to which he belongs, etc.).
In addition to the "character" of the animal, factors such as:
- A technique of wrong education on the part of the master;
- An unsuitable game mode when he was a puppy;
- The exploitation of the dog in fights or other activities that can contribute to aggressive reactions to defend itself.
Although it is difficult to identify which dogs have a greater tendency to bite, those of large size or trained to attack can be more dangerous than others, due to their strength and the severity of injuries they can cause.
Symptoms and Complications
The dog bite causes a traumatic lesion of variable entity .
Indicatively, the resulting damage depends on the combination of:
- Size of the animal ;
- Type of wound (lacerated-contused or penetrating);
- Location of the dog bite (leg, neck, hand);
- State of health of the person who is bitten by a dog.
In fact, the wound may be limited to the skin surface or, in the most serious cases, it may even involve muscles, nerves, arterial and venous vessels, tendons, joints and bones.
If the dog bite affects particular areas of the body, such as the skull, abdomen or respiratory tree, the consequences are more serious and may include, for example, airway injury, brain damage and intraperitoneal hemorrhage .
Rarely, the outcome of the dog bite is deadly; when it occurs, death results from the injury of large blood vessels or the direct involvement of a vital organ.
Did you know that…
Dog bites can cause crush injuries : the amount of pressure generated on the victim's skin is between about 100 and 450 kilograms per square centimeter.
Characteristics of the wound
The dog bite is usually a rather complicated wound: the teeth can cause both tissue lacerations on the skin (in the form of superficial abrasions, scratches and penetrating wounds), and bruises and bone fractures. If it causes tear injuries, the dog bite may also correlate with an abundant loss of superficial and deep tissues.
Dog Bite: which body parts are most affected?
The limbs are the most frequently affected site, although children between the ages of 5 and 10 are often bitten to the head and neck, with injuries of a certain severity. Hands are more easily affected by an infection.
Infections transmitted by the Dog Bite
The dog bite should be treated correctly, as it can easily become infected.
Pathogens in the animal's mouth and teeth are transferred to the victim's damaged tissues through direct contact. In the presence of some risk factors, these microorganisms can give rise to both a local infection and spread to the entire organism.
Risk factors for infections after the Dog Bite
The risk of incurring an infection increases according to the type of dog bite (note: the punctate and deep wounds are more serious) and the time elapsed between the moment of the bite and the treatment.
The likelihood of developing an infection increases in people suffering from arteriopathies, venous insufficiency, diabetes and clinical conditions of immuno-compromise.
The infectious agents most frequently implicated in dog bite complications are:
- Pasteurella spp;
- Staphylococcus spp;
- Streptococcus spp;
- Moraxella spp;
- Corynebacterium spp.
Furthermore, the victim is exposed to the risk of contracting tetanus and rabies, of which the animal can be a carrier. Other infectious diseases transmissible with a dog bite are leptospirosis and herpes virus infections . Dog bites can also cause deep tissue abscesses and osteomyelitis .
Obviously, the attack by a wild or stray animal increases this probability, but the occurrence of such complications makes it advisable to consult your doctor for a consultation, even if the wound seems small and minor. If from the beginning the dog bite seems to have produced serious consequences, instead, it is better to go to the emergency room .
Diagnosis
The injury resulting from the dog bite must always be carefully examined.
The doctor first checks the skin area involved in order to evaluate:
- Extension and type of wound (lacero-contused, punctiform, etc.):
- Level of penetration and possible damage to muscles, bones, nerves and tendons;
- Signs of infection such as redness, edema, swollen regional lymph nodes and presence of purulent secretions or fluctuating collections.
Alarm signals
Some symptoms associated with dog bites should be interpreted as alarm bells. The sudden onset of these manifestations or their progressive worsening, must induce to consult the doctor within a short time :
- In the days following the dog bite, the area is painful, reddened, hot and swollen;
- At the site of the lesion and in the neighboring tissues itching and altered sensitivity appear;
- After a dog bite, systemic symptoms begin, such as nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness or fever.
When to go to the emergency room
- The dog bite is deep;
- Bleeding from the wound does not stop;
- The bite has been inflicted by a potentially infected dog, so it is necessary to evaluate the opportunity to carry out rabies prophylaxis and to verify if the victim needs tetanus vaccination.
Treatment and Remedies
Dog bite treatment varies depending on the case.
Most wounds resolve without any intervention, however, if it appears immediately serious, the dog bite should be examined by the doctor and treated as indicated.
First aid measures
After a dog bite, the first thing to do is to thoroughly clean the injured part, with a prolonged wash with running water (tap or physiological when available). This allows any residual dirt and bacteria present in the wound to be eliminated as much as possible. Often, the dog bite goes into an infection precisely because these first operations are not carried out correctly.
To stop bleeding, press the wound with a clean cloth and dab for 1-2 minutes. If the wound is still bleeding, apply pressure for another 5 minutes.
At the end, dry well with sterile gauze or clean handkerchief, then apply a disinfectant on the dog bite and cover with a bandage or a medicated plaster. Do not close the wound with specific patches for sutures (such as steril strip): it is better to heal the lesion leaving it uncovered.
To remember
If the dog bite is not superficial, go to a doctor immediately to assess whether antibiotics or other drugs are needed; furthermore, if necessary, the patient will be subjected to tetanus vaccination and / or post-exposure anti-rabies treatment.
Antibiotics and post exposure vaccine
Generally, if the wound is superficial and the person is in good health, the risk of infection is low and antibiotics are not necessary. These drugs are prescribed by the doctor, instead, in case of high risk or clearly infected wounds and when the victim is immuno-compromised. The duration of antibiotic prophylaxis is generally 3-5 days. In the case of cellulite, abscesses or other infectious complications, it will have to last longer and, if possible, be guided by the outcome of culture tests.
Hospitalization is generally reserved for the most serious cases. The doctor should also consider the immunization status towards tetanus.
To learn more: Tetanus Vaccination »Regarding the risk of rabies, post-exposure treatment (vaccination) is indicated, after consideration of some factors:
- Type of injury;
- Italian region where the incident occurred and in which circumstance occurred;
- Pet or wild animal (note: the risk is almost nil if it is a dog that lives in a domestic environment, while if it is a stray and runs away after having bitten it is important to evaluate the doctor).
Prevention
What to do if a dog wants to bite?
If a dog appears agitated and seems to be biting:
- Keep calm and take a calm attitude: shouting or reacting in an exaggerated way, for example by hitting him, is inappropriate, in these cases, since the animal would alter even more.
- Move away from the stimulus or situation that caused this reaction in the animal, pulling the leash upwards slightly with short tugs, just to divert attention. To distract him, it is also possible to place croquettes on the ground, then reach a quiet place, free of stimuli that make him excited or angry.
Dog Bite: what precautions should be taken?
The adoption of certain behaviors can help to minimize the risk of being bitten by a dog.
- First of all, we must always remember to interact cautiously with animals, in particular with those who do not know each other, and behavior that may surprise, frighten or threaten them should be avoided. A dog, in fact, gets easily irritated and can have unpredictable reactions if he feels threatened by a behavior that he considers an invasion of his territory or is disturbed when he is eating, sleeping or nursing his puppies.
- It is also important to teach children not to annoy the animals (for example, with spite or running or screaming in their presence) and to ask permission from the owner before caressing a dog. Finally, children should play with dogs, even if they are well known, always under close supervision by adults.
