Why dog bites tend to get infected
After any sort of cut or laceration, infection is a major issue that you want to be aware of. Many wounds will heal with minimal scarring if everything goes smoothly, but there could be severe complications if there’s an infection. It could even potentially be fatal. Since infection can escalate the situation so significantly, you need to know why it happens and what to watch out for.
Essentially, the infection is just going to make the wound feel worse. There could be pus or other discharge, the area could turn very red and tender, you may feel heat coming off of it and you will just generally feel like things are getting worse, not better. As the infection reaches a peak, you may even suffer from a fever, chills and other sorts of physical reactions.
Puncture wounds are a serious risk
The reason that dog bites tend to get infected more than other kinds of bites is that they are puncture wounds. These are deep wounds with a small surface area, but which extend far below that surface.
When a dog bites someone, bacteria from the bite could get trapped in the puncture wound. The same is true for dirt, debris, fabric and anything else in the area that gets bitten.
If the wound is not cleaned properly, then none of this debris gets removed and infection can set in, even when the surface appears to be healing at first. It’s also important to note that puncture wounds tend to bleed a bit less, which means they lack a natural cleaning function that you would see with other cuts.
Seeking financial compensation
If a dog bite gets infected, you could have serious medical bills and other complications. Be sure you know how to seek financial compensation from the dog’s owner.