If you get bitten by a dog, one of the major complications that you may face is an infection. This can be very serious, leading to swelling and significant pain. In some cases, infections can get so bad that they cause a fever and may even spread to other areas of the body. This could prove fatal if something like sepsis sets in.
But why is it that dog bites get infected? Beyond just knowing what signs and symptoms to look for, why is this a complication that you want to be aware of?
Puncture wounds
The general reason why dog bites are so susceptible to infection is, in part, because they are puncture wounds. One of the first things that medical experts will tell you with any dog bite is that you need to clear any debris and dirt from the wound. This can remove bacteria and anything else that could be harmful to your body.
But puncture wounds are very difficult to clean, and they also serve to hide the debris that may still be trapped below the surface. When you combine this with the lack of bleeding, which should naturally clean out the wound, it means that someone may think that they’ve cleaned the dog bite properly when they actually have a significant amount of bacteria and debris remaining. Since it’s so hard to get this out, infections in puncture wounds just happen more often.
Do you deserve compensation?
If you do get bitten by a dog and it gets infected, you could have very large medical bills and you may feel you deserve compensation. Be sure you know exactly what legal options you have at a time like this.
