Dogs are everywhere in our daily lives, whether you have one of your own or just see them around the neighborhood. You could be out for a walk, visiting a friend, or even running errands, and it’s almost guaranteed you’ll run into one.
For the most part, dogs are calm, friendly animals. They wag their tails, love a good belly rub, and generally just want to hang out with humans. But no matter how well-behaved a dog might seem, there’s always a chance something can go wrong. Even the calmest dog can feel scared, threatened, or protective, and when that happens, they might bite.
It could be that they’re trying to protect their owner or their territory, or maybe they feel cornered, and that’s when things can take a turn. Unfortunately, the victims of a dog attack have to face a wide range of injuries, both physical and emotional.
In this article, we’ll be discussing the various types of injuries a dog bite victim may sustain.
Strains and Sprains
When you’re attacked by a dog, your instinct is to pull away as quickly as you can, and in that panic, you can easily twist or pull a muscle the wrong way. It’s like when you accidentally twist your ankle, but worse because your whole body is tense.
You might not feel it right away with all the adrenaline pumping through you, but later, your muscles will remind you of the struggle.
Strains and sprains can make everyday movements a painful challenge, sometimes even for weeks after the bite.
Bruises
Even if a dog doesn’t break the skin, it can still leave you with nasty bruises. The amount of pressure a dog’s jaw can apply is strong enough to crush the tissue under your skin. This will no doubt leave you with dark, painful bruises that you feel with every touch. It’ll feel like someone punched you, but the pain will emanate from the inside out.
Bruises from a dog bite can take a while to fade, and every time you bump into something, the sudden jolt of pain you feel will serve as a reminder of that dog bite.
Lacerations
When a dog really digs its teeth in, you’re not just looking at small scratches. You might suffer deep cuts, such as lacerations, that might even need stitches.
Lacerations are the kind of wound where the skin tears apart, not just on the surface but sometimes deep enough to hit muscle. These kinds of cuts don’t just hurt at the moment; they can throb on for days after the incident, and they take longer to heal. And there’s always the risk of infection, especially when it’s an animal bite.
Abrasions
Sometimes, instead of a full bite, you’ll end up with abrasions, which are basically really bad scrapes. It might not be as deep as a cut, but it can still sting like crazy, especially if it gets dirt or debris in it. Abrasions might seem like minor injuries, but they can get infected if they’re not cleaned properly, and they hurt every time you move or touch them.
Broken Bones
In more serious cases, a dog can actually break a bone during an attack. If the dog is big and powerful, or if it shakes you while biting, it’s possible to end up with a fractured arm or leg.
Imagine the sheer force of a large dog’s jaw clamping down on your arm. One wrong movement and you hear a crack, that’s your bone breaking. Broken bones are no joke, and they mean you’ll be dealing with casts, recovery time, and possibly even surgery.
Torn Muscle Tissue
When a dog’s bite goes deep enough, it can tear through muscle tissue, not just skin. You’re not just dealing with a surface wound anymore. Torn muscles are painful and can take a long time to heal. You might even notice a difference in how you move that part of your body after it heals.
Sometimes, moving that body part can become more difficult than before, especially if it is a limb.
Punctures
When a dog’s tooth goes deep into your skin, it creates a little hole that can easily get infected. And the worst part is that you might not even notice anything’s wrong until it’s too late.
Unlike cuts that bleed a lot, puncture wounds can seem less urgent because they don’t bleed as much. However, you should never ignore them, no matter what. Present the puncture to medical personnel for proper treatment as soon as possible.
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