Why do dog bites get infected?

A dog bite that becomes infected can become incredibly serious. It can lead to a fever or further complications, such as sepsis. In some cases, an infection is so bad that it leads to a long hospital stay or the sickness can even become fatal.

As you can see, this means that you need to take a dog bite very seriously. Why is it that these bites may become infected in some cases?

The issue with puncture wounds

A big part of the reason is that dog bites are typically puncture wounds. The teeth push down deep below the skin, and this means that bacteria and other debris can be left far under the surface. This is why the wound may become infected even if it didn’t look that bad when it occurred.

Puncture wounds are also much harder to clean out. You may think that you washed it properly when you only just cleaned the surface. Bleeding is also less common with puncture wounds, and blood is a natural cleaner for the body. If a wound does not bleed, this can mean that it is far less sterile than it would be otherwise.

Additionally, puncture wounds can cause severe damage that is hidden from view. There are cases in which people believe they’re not badly injured, but it’s just because a lot of the damage is deeper down in the tissue and the injury is actually quite serious.

What are your options?

If you have suffered from an infected dog bite that led to significant complications and high medical bills, then it’s very important to understand all of the options you have to seek compensation.