A Guide to Dog Bite Injuries 

Dog bite injuries come in many forms. There are injuries to the face and neck, which may impact both your ability to work and the way you see yourself. There are injuries to the arms and hands, which prevent you from driving and working. There are also secondary effects of bite injuries, including bite wound infection, which, according to the American Society for Pediatrics, occurs in 15% of dog bite cases. By understanding the types of bite injury victims experience, you can take effective action and protect your health as you recover.

What is the Ian Dunbar Dog Bite Scale?

Dr. Ian Dunbar’s dog bite scale is used to categorize dog bites and is a recognized scale for determining the extent of a dog bite injury. 

The Dunbar Dog Bite Scale comprises six distinct levels of dog bite severity:

• What is a Level 1 Dog Bite?: The Dog is Aggressive but the Teeth Don’t Make Contact with the Skin 
• What is a Level 2 Dog Bite?: The Dog’s Teeth Make Contact but Don’t Break the Skin
• What is a Level 3 Dog Bite?: A Single Leading to Shallow Bite Wounds
• What is a Level 4 Dog Bite?: A Single Bite Leading to Deep Bite Wounds
• What is a Level 5 Dog Bite?: Multiple Bites with Deep Bite Wounds
• What is a Level 6 Dog Bite?: The Victim Dies As a Result of the Bite

The Ian Dunbar Dog Bite scale is now used in dog bite cases across the United States as a guide to link the medical impact of a dog bite with the potential compensation dog bite victims might claim. Our recent post about the Dunbar Dog Bite Scale provides more depth to the topic.

What are the Most Common Dog Attack Injuries?

The data shows the differences between the types of injury children suffer in a dog attack and injuries adults experience. For example, a report from three major inner city hospitals in the United States shows most children suffer lacerations and severe injuries to their head and neck in dog attacks. 

Meanwhile, because adults are generally better able to react to the attack, they will suffer injuries to their arms and hands as they defend their faces. However, bites to the hand are prone to infection due to the thin covering of soft tissue over the bones and joints.

What If I Was Bit, But the Dog’s Teeth Didn’t Break the Skin?

The dog bite doesn’t have to draw blood to cause damage to ligaments, tendons, and bones. Some of the most severe dog bite injuries are associated with bites that didn’t break the skin. Even if you think you have escaped without serious injury after being bitten by a dog, it’s still beneficial to speak with a doctor to get medical attention and undergo an assessment. 

What Are the Symptoms of Dog Bite Nerve Damage?

Understanding the signs of damage to your nerves after a dog bite can help you take the next step in getting medical assistance for your injuries. Neuropathy is the medical term for nerve damage, and according to Harvard Medical School, the following are signs of neuropathy associated with injuries:

• Intense pain
• Numbness
• Paralysis of the affected area
• Weakness

There are three specific types of nerve damage associated with dog bites, and dog attacks. These types of nerve damage are:

Axonotmesis

This relates to injuries stretching the nerves, potentially damaging the surrounding tissues. Axonotmesis damages connectivity between nerve endings, but generally heals with time.

Neurotmesis

The most severe form of dog bite nerve damage, neurotmesis involves permanent damage to the surrounding tissue and connected nerves. Dog bite injury victims experiencing neurotmesis will usually require extensive rehabilitation to regain function.

Neuropraxia

Neuropraxia generally relates to minor damage and inflammation around the nerve. The vast majority of patients with neuropraxia return to full nerve function in a few months. 

Why You Should Always Have an Assessment After a Dog Bite

In line with recommendations from the American College of Physicians, your doctor will complete a comprehensive examination of your bite injury to determine any potential treatment. 

Your dog bite injury assessment will include:

• Taking your vital signs
• Assessing your current level of pain
• Noting and describing your injury location
• Noting any fever, chills, weakness, and heat associated with the bite location
• Testing your range of motion

You may not be immediately aware of the dangers associated with your dog bite injury. In many cases, survivors of dog bite attacks return to work immediately, or begin activities such as sports, only to experience pain, numbness, and other dog bite-related symptoms later on. 

What If I’m Still Experiencing Dog Bite Pain Months Later?

One of the most common types of dog bite injury is when a victim only realizes they have suffered damage when they have dog bite pain months after the attack. If you didn’t undergo any treatment for your dog bite initially but are now experiencing pain and sensitivity in the bite location months later, your pain could be due to:

Nerve damage

The dog’s sharp teeth can puncture the nerves under the skin, causing debilitating pain for many months, even years after the attack. Nerve pain may prevent you from being able to work or even take on daily tasks around the home, such as laundry or cleaning. 

Secondary infections

The bite wounds inflicted by the dog can become infected by bacteria, and this risk of infection is a primary health concern associated with dog bites.

Dog bite infections can exacerbate the pain from your injuries and stall your recovery progress.

Medical professionals can quickly identify infection by the redness, swelling, and tenderness in the bite location.

Your doctor will likely diagnose penicillin for your infection as data from the Journal of American College of Physicians found that 95% of organisms that cause dog bite infections are sensitive to penicillin.

Crush injuries

In some bite cases, it might be several weeks before you notice the dog’s jaws have broken your bone. The larger breeds of dog, such as a Rottweiler or German shepherd, can crush small bones in your arms and wrist during an attack. 

 Research published by the Journal of Clinical Pediatrics (CLP) found an adult dog’s jaws can exert 200 to 450 lbs per square inch of pressure. 

Getting Fair Compensation for Your Dog Bite Injuries 

With a clearer understanding of the types of dog bite injuries and the importance of proactive assessment, you can now consult with a dog bite injury lawyer to determine whether the dog’s owner owes you compensation for your injuries. 

Victims of dog attacks require effective legal representation from a local Philadelphia dog bite attorney with proven experience in the Pennsylvania courts. If you’ve lost work or spent significant amounts of money on medical care due to dog bite treatment, it’s likely you have a case.

Speak with a Philadelphia dog bite lawyer with decades of experience serving clients throughout Pennsylvania by calling attorney Jeffrey Penneys today for your free consultation.