Diseases that are caused by dog bites - treatment

 Diseases that are caused by dog bites

You might think dog mouths suck, which they are, but they're no worse than ours. The warm, humid climate means that the mouths of humans and puppies alike harbor many types of bacteria that are kept active by the constant flow of food, and any bite, including a human bite, can be dangerous. So it's not surprising that sometimes wounds exposed to this bacteria turn out to be really bad, even those licked by young puppies.

In Ohio, a woman developed a rare infection after her pet dog licked her open wound, and she ended up days later in the emergency room, delirious and suffering from a serious case of "bloat", which forced doctors to amputate her legs and hands.

The sooty bacteria lives in the mouths of dogs and does no harm to them, but it is contagious to humans. Although many types of these bacteria live in the mouths of dogs, the majority of their bites are not dangerous, if we exclude the marks they leave on the skin. As for licking it to its owner, it is less likely to cause infection, and infection occurs only when a deep wound is infected with a dangerous microbe. Sootropic infections often cause mild symptoms, and the above-mentioned patient was an exception. In general, people with weakened immune systems become ill from a sooty infection.

Dog bites often don't cause serious injuries, but if they do pierce the skin, you should see a doctor. Serious injuries from dog bites may be rare, but prevention is necessary to reduce the possibility of serious infection. Here's what to watch out for if your dog bites or licks you.

1. Pasteurella bacteria

More than half of dog bite wounds contain Pasteurella bacteria, making it the most common source of infection. Symptoms of infection are often localized, including redness, swelling, and mild pain, but lead to serious complications if left untreated. Its minor symptoms include fever and swollen lymph nodes, but complications including meningitis or pneumonia, especially in young children, can emerge from the illness.

2. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

The source of MRSA is usually from contaminated hospitals and wrestling mats, but it can sometimes live in the mouths of dogs, which is not common; So these bacteria are not a big concern, but if you get infected, the condition becomes critical and serious. Most MRSA infections are confined to skin lesions that can be easily treated, but if the bacteria enter the bloodstream, which is most likely to happen through a deep cut, the situation becomes worrisome. It may cause sepsis, which can be fatal.

3. Tetanus

You may think that “tetanus” is a disease that you get as a result of being injured by a rusty piece of metal, but this is not a source of the Clostridium tetani bacteria. They live on soil, dust, and in the mouths of dogs. Tetanus infection is not common, but about 10% of cases are fatal. So if it's been more than a decade since your last tetanus shot, you should get it again. Because C. tetani are everywhere.

4. Rabies

Rabies is deadly, remember this, but it has become extremely rare with the advent of vaccination campaigns on a large scale, and only 125 cases of rabies were recorded in the United States between 1960 and 2018, but it remains a major concern because everyone infected with it is destined to die, unless He receives a vaccine dose the day after he is infected, as this precaution could save your life. This is why most doctors give people who have been bitten by dogs a dose of vaccine; So you should see a doctor if a dog has bitten you, and you thought it was not serious.

Finally, if you have open wounds (ulcers), scrapes, insect bites, or any other type of wound, you should take good care of them using antiseptics and bandages, in order to reduce the risk of infection of any kind.