What Can Be Done After A Dog Bite?
Immediately after a dog bite or animal attack, it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Dog bites and animal attacks can be particularly dangerous because they can cause serious injuries, infections, and even death if the animal has a disease. At Keller, Woods & Thompson, P.A., we have helped countless Minnesota and western Wisconsin dog bite victims.
When visiting the doctor, it’s important to mention whether the person attacked has a suppressed immune system or health condition that puts them at a greater risk of infection. These conditions include diabetes, liver disease, and other autoimmune disorders.
Also mention whether or not you know the dog’s owner and if the dog is up to date on their shots. This will affect the type of antibiotic that the doctor will prescribe, and they may require a test for rabies.
Treating The Physical Injury
After visiting the doctor, you should continue to treat the injury at home by:
- Stop any bleeding by using clean, dry towels
- Keep the injury elevated
- Gently wash the bite with soap and warm water
- Keep the injury bandaged
- Apply antibiotic ointment daily to prevent or fight infection
Treating Emotional Trauma
Something else to keep an eye out for — especially if it was your child who was attacked — is whether or not the attack also caused emotional trauma. In children, these symptoms include:
- Crying
- Lack of sleep
- Nightmares
- Fear
- Anger
- Social withdrawal
- Bedwetting
- Clinginess to parents
It’s important to seek emotional therapy for your child if they experience emotional trauma after their dog bite because it can interfere with normal development.
Other Symptoms of Emotional Trauma:
- Intense fear of dogs
- Damage to self-esteem if scarring causes disfigurement
- Agoraphobia, where the person will avoid certain people or places to avoid anxiety
- Flashbacks, where the person feels like they’re reliving the event
- PTSD, where the trauma affects the person’s ability to function in daily life due to triggers
It’s important to understand that a dog bite or animal attack could affect the injured person emotionally as much as it affects them physically. Find a counselor who can help you or your child develop coping strategies to manage the emotional responses to the trauma and resulting triggers.
Talk To Us About Your Dog Bite Experience
If you or your child is experiencing emotional trauma due to a dog bite injury or animal attack, seek a personal injury lawyer for counsel. They may be able to recover damages related to the emotional injuries you or your child has sustained. Contact Keller, Woods & Thompson, P.A., today to schedule your consultation. Give us a call today at 763-447-4076 or send us an email to begin.