When To Seek Medical Attention For A Dog Bite

I read a startling statistic. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year with one in five of those bitten requiring medical attention. That's roughly 885,000 each year. In 2006, more than 31,000 underwent reconstructive surgery for injuries sustained in dog attacks.

With so many dog attacks taking place, how do you know when your injuries are serious enough to require medical attention? According to an article at http://www.wnem.com/story/18958630/how-to-tell-you-have-a-serious-dog-bite a dog bite victim should seek medical attention whenever the bite goes through the skin and skin is broken or when you have a deep puncture wound. The medical concerns are rabies and bacteria from the dog's mouth as well as the trauma caused to the body by the bite. If the bite has not broken through the skin, a thorough washing and liberal application of anti-biotic ointment may be sufficient. However, if there are any signs of infection, redness or pus oozing from the found, be sure to seek medical attention.

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