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Common Types of Dog Bite Injuries in Iowa (Part A)

A dog attack in Iowa can lead to serious or fatal injuries and painful, expensive medical treatment. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a dog attack in Iowa, you should speak with a Des Moines dog bite lawyer to discuss recovering damages in a personal injury claim.

The Most Common Types of Dog Bite Injuries

Some common dog bite injuries include:

• abrasions - scrapes may appear to be minor but they are especially serious in older individuals with delicate skin and people with conditions such as diabetes, which make wounds slow to heal;
• lacerations;.
• puncture wounds - because of the bacteria often present in a dog's mouth, these wounds can lead to infection;
• tissue loss and avulsion - skin can severely damaged;
• crush injuries - broken bones, torn tendons and compressed nerves are not unusual in a particularly severe attack;
• sprains and strains;
• disfiguring scars - if a child has been scarred, your Des Moines dog bite lawyer will emphasize future medical expenses in your claim because it's difficult to predict how the site of the wound will appear as the child ages;
• infections - these include rabies, which is potentially fatal and attacks the nervous system; cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection; and C canimorsus, a bacterium that could lead to fever, vomiting, diarrhea and sepsis.

Since children are more likely to suffer facial injuries after a dog attack in Iowa because of their height, they should be examined for facial fractures, brain injuries and nerve damage. They could also suffer emotional dog bite injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Signs to look for include bed wetting, sleeping problems, anxiety and fear of going outside the home.

Treatment for Dog Bite Injuries

After a dog attack in Iowa, the 3 main treatment issues that need to be addressed are:

• skin damage;
• injury to muscle, bone or nerves; and
• infections.

It will also need to be determined whether the dog has been immunized against rabies and whether the victim of the dog attack in Iowa should be immunized.

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