Seeking prompt medical attention is essential.

One of a parent’s worst fears is having their son or daughter being bitten by a dog. Whether it is a neighbor’s dog, the family pet, or a strange dog, the effects of a dog bite can follow your child into adulthood. Cleaning the wound with soap and lots of water can lessen the chance of infection. You can use gauze or a clean towel to stop the bleeding. If the dog bite has broken the skin, you should immediately seek medical attention within eight hours. If the dog bite has not broken the skin, watch the site for signs of infection, such as redness or swelling. If there are signs of infection, you should immediately take your child to the emergency room or to a pediatrician.

The type of dog bite will impact the treatment for your child.

Dog bites can vary from a scratch or nip which does not puncture the skin, to puncture wounds from the dog’s teeth, to tearing of the skin. Some breeds of dog will clamp their teeth when biting a person, which typically results in tearing of the flesh. These types of dog bites typically require stitches, depending on what part of the body is bitten. Other breeds of dog will bite and release, leaving only puncture wounds or perhaps not breaking the skin at all. Any time a dog bite punctures the skin, you must be careful of infection.

Be careful of infection with your child’s dog bite.

The risk of infection following a dog attack is great. Dogs carry bacteria in their mouth, which can spread to your child. The risk of infection is particularly great if the dog’s teeth puncture the skin. The bacteria from the dog’s mouth gain direct access to your child’s body through the skin. For this reason, you should always have your child take an antibiotic following a dog bite. You child should also receive a tetanus shot or a booster shot if they have not had a tetanus shot within the last five years. Tetanus is a serious, potentially life-threatening infection that can be transmitted by an animal bite.

How to lessen the effect of scarring.

Scarring is a potential long term consequence for your child following a dog bite. Whether the dog bite results in tearing, or your child receives stitches, or even with puncture wounds, scarring is a reminder to your child of being bitten by the dog. You can buy over the counter scar creams which will help minimize your child’s scarring. The action of rubbing the wound with cream helps keep the skin moist, which also helps the healing process. When we represent a child who has scars from the dog bite, we frequently send them to a plastic surgeon who can advise whether there are any cosmetic procedures which may lessen the visibility of the scar. This can be useful in the case of a child since the effects will last throughout their adult life.

Seek the advice of a personal injury lawyer.

There are many potential pitfalls in making a recovery for a dog bite. Perhaps you don’t even want to make a claim against the owner of the dog. Remember that you should put the interests of your child ahead of any personal feelings you may have about bringing a claim. Perhaps the neighbor’s dog bit your child and you do not want to sue your neighbor. There are issues of whether homeowner’s insurance covers a dog bite. In any of these situations, you should consult with a lawyer who is familiar with dog bite cases.