If you suffer a dog bite injury, it can certainly be painful at the time that it occurs. You may need emergency treatment or even go to the hospital. Depending on where the bite is, there’s the potential that it could be fatal – children are at greater risk of this than adults – or it could leave you with a disfigurement.
All of these things are very serious and need to be considered and addressed by medical professionals. However, it’s also important to note that dog bites can get infected. Even if the bite doesn’t seem too serious when it happens, it can get worse over time.
What signs should you look for?
Dog bites are puncture wounds, so debris and bacteria can wind up deep within the wound, below the skin, leading to this infection. Some of the most common signs of an infection include:
- Developing a fever
- Feeling warmth or heat at the site
- Having swollen lymph nodes
- Experiencing increased pain or a lack of healing in the days to come
- Seeing redness in the area or red streaks leading away from the bite
- Seeing discharge and drainage, such as pus, coming from the wound
In the most severe cases, infections can require hospitalization or surgery, and they may even have the potential to turn into a fatal condition, like sepsis.
If you do think that the dog bite has gotten infected, your health condition can quickly deteriorate, and you may need antibiotics and other medical treatment. This whole process can be very expensive, causing you to lose wages and have extra medical bills, so be sure you know what legal options you have to seek compensation.
