Dog bites can be horrific. They can cause skin and tissue damage that leaves a person disfigured for life. So when a bite does not leave visible damage, people often downplay it. They call it “just a little nip” or “nothing serious.”
The problem is this is not necessarily true. Even bites that hardly mark the skin can have serious consequences due to the diseases a dog’s teeth can carry. Think about how carefully hospital staff are to ensure needles are sterile before using them to penetrate the skin of a patient. There’s no way they would use a needle as dirty as a dog’s tooth.
Infections that can occur
Here are some of the infections you could contract after a dog bite:
- Tetanus: Medical intervention will be necessary if the dog has tetanus, even if you have been vaccinated. Note it can occur due to a scratch, not just a bite.
- Rabies: Most dogs have been vaccinated against rabies, but you could be unlucky and get bitten by a dog that has it.
- Capnocytophaga: It can take up to two weeks for symptoms to appear, but this infection could lead to kidney failure, a heart attack or gangrene.
- Sepsis: This occurs when the body tries to fight an infection but ends up attacking its own cells. If you don’t get it after the initial bite you could well get it while in the hospital, as it’s the third biggest killer in hospitals.
As you can see, you cannot afford to skip medical attention after a dog bite. Get that first then start exploring your options to hold the owner responsible for compensation.