DOG BITES

There are several types of dog bites depending on aggression:

• Level 1 Bite – There is aggressive behaviour present but with no skin contact by teeth.
• Level 2 Bite – There is skin-contact with teeth but there is no skin puncture.
• Level 3 Bite – There are one to four tooth punctures from a single bite but there is no puncture deeper than half of the length of the dog’s teeth.
• Level 4 Bite – The person or dog which was bitten may have deep bruising around the wounds.
• Level 5 Bite – There are multiple level 4 bites or multiple attacks. This dog should not be around people or other animals.
• Level 6 Bite – The victim is killed in the attack, but this is rare.

A dog bite can bring about the following:

• Redness
• Pain
• Swelling
• Inflammation at the site of the bite

Seek medical attention if symptoms persist for more than 24 hours.

DIAGNOSIS

In order to reach a diagnosis, the doctor may ask you the following questions:

• What animal has bitten you?
• Did the animal have rabies vaccination?
• When was your last tetanus shot?

An X-ray may also be requested to know whether the infection has spread to the bone, especially if the dog bite is located on the finger or on the hand.

Blood tests can also help diagnose infection or even sepsis. Sepsis and infection of the bone are serious problems.

MEDICATIONS/TREATMENT

There are three important treatment issues that need to be addressed with a dog bite, the skin damage, injury to the underlying tissues such as muscle, nerve and bone and lastly the infection.

Always see a professional who specializes in dog bites, so that they can prescribe antibiotics. The sooner the better.