Dog bite injuries are a tragic occurrence. Not only do they have the ability to lead to serious or even deadly injuries, but they can cause major damage to relationships. Depending on the severity of a dog bite, or the state you live in, these instances can even end in a dog’s euthanization being legally required. If you want to protect yourself, your loved ones, and all the dogs in your life, doing your best to prevent bites is critical.

When the dog’s teeth pierce or puncture your skin, injuries result. Even though these injuries are frequently deep, they can also be considerably smaller than lacerations. Even if the bleeding isn’t severe, you should still seek medical assistance because it increases the risk of infection.

Fortunately, in the United States, there is not much of a risk, but if a dog owner is reckless enough to let their dog roam free and bite humans, they probably aren’t very responsible about immunizations either.

Additionally, it’s important to educate yourself about what types of injuries can occur due to dog bites:

1. Punctures

A puncture injury occurs when a dog’s teeth manage to puncture your skin. These punctures can vary in size, but the injury tends to be less serious than lacerations, which happen when a dog bites in a more aggressive, and continual fashion. That being said, the fact that the skin is broken, often somewhat deeply, makes puncture wounds more likely to lead to infections. Since infections can be serious, and even life-threatening, treating puncture wounds immediately is essential.

2. Abrasions

Abrasions are superficial injuries, such as scrapes and grazes. However, there is still a chance that you can gain an infection or other serious injury if you lead abrasions untreated. Dog bites can lead to abrasions in many cases since dogs try not to bite overly hard in most dog-bite incidents. Those who suffer abrasions from dog bites are usually involved in less intense instances of this often-tragic occurrence. If you fear you may have a young child that may be too hectic, it may be worth reconsidering your options before getting a family dog.

3. Rabies

One of the absolute worst injuries you can receive from dog bites is a case of rabies. Rabies is a viral infection that can be passed by an infected canine, and infected canines are more likely to be aggressive in the first place. Rabies can cause you to have difficulty speaking, will lead to muscle spasms, and causes you to become severely dehydrated. While rabies is treatable, it’s an incredibly painful disease to become infected with. Unfortunately, around 50,000 people a year still die from a rabies infection worldwide. If you or a loved one are severely injured by a dog bite or attack, seeking out dog bite attorneys in Chicago, like Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers becomes a necessity.

4. Tetanus

While not as commonly gained from a dog bite, tetanus is another viral infection that can occur after someone’s bitten by a dog. Tetanus will come from skin-related bacteria, rather than bacteria from a dog’s saliva. Tetanus is extremely painful, and can be difficult to treat, but is nowhere near as deadly as rabies. However, if left untreated for long periods, tetanus can lead to serious health issues and complications. Rescued dogs become a larger source of concern for potential viral infections.

5. Lacerations

Lacerations happen when you experience deep cuts or tears in your skin. They are typically followed by lots of bleeding, and pain, and can often lead to scarring as well. These wounds will often be marked by zig-zag or uneven patterns, and it’s this abnormal shape of the injury that can make stitches a likelihood when you get a laceration. More powerful dog bites or those that also involve ripping or tearing due to the dog shaking its head, are more likely to end up in a laceration.

The patient’s danger of contracting the rabies virus needs to be promptly treated. It is crucial to record the circumstances of the attack since a rabid animal on the wild poses a major risk to the general public.

6. Crushing Injuries

Injuries that involve crushing (such as broken bones and fractures) are related to more severe, and often prolonged dog bites. Breeds with particularly powerful jaws are more commonly involved in bite cases that cause crushing injuries. If a dog bites a small child, the chance of a cruising injury, and the severity of the said injury, greatly increases. For this reason, it becomes especially critical that you always watch any young children around dogs (even if you have full trust in the animal).

7. Avulsion

An avulsion is defined as an injury where something is ripped or torn away from the body. If a dog bite results in parts of your skin or tissue being ripped away from your body, it’s likely a result of a particularly aggressive, destructive dog attack. These injuries are incredibly serious, because unlike tears, abrasions, and lacerations, repairing the damage can become much more difficult (as a simple set of stitches will be nowhere near enough to correct the damage). For this reason, avulsion damages from dog bites can result in massive lawsuits, and will often end up in a dog’s euthanization being legally required as well.

8. Nerve Damage

When a dog’s bite hits a nerve in the bitten area, it can lead to serious nerve damage. Depending on the severity of the damage, it can be temporary or permanent damage. Either way, nerve damage is known to be one of the most painful types of injuries we can sustain. Similar to avulsion, dog bites that end up causing nerve damage are highly likely to lead to litigation.

Avoid the Tragedy of Dog Attacks

By following guidelines from professionals, you can help prevent the tragedy of dog attacks and bites. However, if you do find yourself or a loved one injured by a dog attack, knowing your legal rights, and knowing that you should immediately seek out medical help becomes critical to navigating the unfortunate situation.