When a person suffers from a dog bite, many of the initial concerns might revolve around the possibility of scarring or any major, immediate damage.
However, infection is one potential effect that no one should ever overlook.
Risks associated with dog bites
Medical News Today talks about the risks associated with dog bites. Dogs, unfortunately, do not have very clean mouths, much like most other creatures. Many bacteria colonize the inside of a dog’s mouth, including capnocytophaga among others.
These bacteria may easily enter a person’s bloodstream or skin through puncture wounds made by a dog’s teeth. This is why it is crucially important for a dog bite victim to have a medical professional examine the injury. Not only is it important for rabies and for general overviews of the damage, but it is important so the doctor can clean the wound properly.
What happens with untreated wounds?
An untreated wound that has not gotten a proper cleaning could easily become infected. Infections left untreated can cause a victim flu-like symptoms like nausea and vomiting, gastrointestinal distress, fevers, body aches and more.
In particularly severe cases, infections can result in gangrene or necrosis of the affected tissue. This means the cells will die and turn black, and the area affected may have to get removed or amputated because of the dead tissue.
In other rare cases, an infection may even go septic. This affects the blood of the victim. Sepsis travels quickly and has an intense and severe impact. Some types of sepsis can even kill a victim in less than 72 hours after symptoms appear. This is why quick treatment is a must.