DOG BITE & THE PLASTIC SURGEON

 DOG BITE DEFORMITY AND THE PLASTIC SURGEON

Newspapers and our Neighborhood gossip are usually ripe with the incidents of mauling of kids by stray or pet dogs. The penetrating and crushing nature of these bites can lead to lifelong deformities. What to do in such an event and how we as Plastic Surgeons can help are often lost in the mayhem that follows.

Q. How are Dog Bites Different?

A. Dogs tend to shake their heads around during an attack. It causes tearing of skin, loss of soft tissue, and crushing damage to the surrounding skin.

 

                        At time of Injury     3 Months after repair

Q. How are Dog Bites more dangerous than normal cuts?

A. The Dog’s mouth is full of bacteria which enter deep in the wound with the teeth and cause damage to vital structures like nerves, tendons, blood vessels leading to deformity as well as BAD SCARRING.

 

Q. What are the common areas of Dog Bite?

A. Most common areas involved are face, lips, ears, nose, neck, hands and legs.

 

Q. What to do Immediately in case of Dog Bite?

1.       Wash the wounds with soap and water for 15 minutes by watch.

2.       Cover the wounds with a clean cloth or Gauze piece.

3.       Apply direct pressure over actively bleeding wounds.

4.       Elevate the part where Dog Bite has happened

5.       Report to the nearest hospital.

 

Q. Should the Dog Bite wounds be left open or Sutured?

A. To prevent infection and for regular monitoring daily dressings have to be done. In case the wounds involve vital areas like Face, Hands or Injury to blood vessels, nerves the wounds have to be surgically cleaned and then repaired.

 

Q. What to do for Scars of Dog Bite?

A. A lot can be done to reduce the scarring:

         Early and proper suturing of the wounds gives Best Results

        Medical Management by silicon gels, coconut oil massage with avoidance of sun exposure

        Microneedling, Microdermabrasion, CO2 Laser Ablation

        Scar Revision Surgery

    Loss of half lip                1 Year after Repair

        domestic Dog bite 

Q. What the complications of Dog Bite?

A. The common complications of Dog Bite are;

a)      Infection

b)      Damage to important structures

c)       Deformity: Functional and Cosmetic

Q. Why go to A Plastic Surgeon?

A. A plastic surgeon is specialty trained to take care of wounds, which means being able to properly debride a wound free of dead tissue and foreign bodies, which would inhibit healing and cause infection. Although an important goal is to reduce deformity from the injury, the primary goal in treating dog bites is to prevent infection and promote good healing functionally and cosmetically.

DR ASHISH GUPTA

Senior Consultant Plastic Surgeon

Ludhiana

9779771111

docashish2001@gmail.com

Insta: docashish2001