Dog Attack Causing Lip Wound

Abstract

Animal bites are relatively common occurrences reaching about 4.5 millions of people every year. The main aggressor is the domesticated dog, responsible for around 90% of the patients, with children being the most affected, with 70% of the registered patients, while with adults that number is a lot lower (15%). Bites around the head and neck require special attention. Due to the presence of noble structures and the rich local vascularization, any wounds have been immediately addressed to stop bleeding and further complications. The present study shows a woman patient, victim of a dog bite in her face, where the dog is her own, a domesticated Weimaraner. The patient was attended to in the Unidade de Pronto Atendimento, the procedure was to first apply anesthesia, then clean up the wound, debris of borders, and the plane suturation. Two months after the surgery, the patient showed satisfactory healing, with no complaints about pain or esthetics. As final considerations, it has to be remembered that facial trauma has to be assessed and taken care of immediately, in a way that closing the wound in the first hours after the trauma increase the chances of obtaining a better esthetic as physiologic result for the patient, also preventing infections from the wound and external environment. Also, in the case of animal bites, it is important that the professional possess the knowledge to deal with each individual situation, employing the correct prophylactic vaccine and perform the correct notification.

A clinical study of contrast sensitivity and visual acuity in patients following retinal photocoagulation for diabetic retinopathy

“…A person bending over or putting face close to a dog's face or gazing between the human and dog has been said too closely precede a dog bite to the face and are responsible for the increased incidence of dog bites. Maximum bites are directed towards the central area of the victim's face (nose, lips) and more than two thirds of the victims are children, 12 as is evident from our patients as well.…”

Surgical Management of Animal and Human Maxillofacial Bites: A Comprehensive Review

“…30,32,56,65 Despite older authors recommend avoiding suturing, contemporary authors suggest that primary wound closure yields good results and a low incidence of infection due to the rich blood supply of the face. 4,9,14,15,18,27,28,35,50,51,53,56,67,68,70,74,75 Main reason why antibiotic prophylaxis is not mandatory for all maxillofacial bite injuries. Ensuring an adequate blood supply to soft tissues is the cornerstone of preventing necrosis and reducing wound infection.…”

“…14,65,69 In the event of tissue avulsion, replantation must be considered as the first option. 7,15,23,64,66,70,74 Not only aesthetic complaints but also functional problems are very often encountered. 73 When cartilages such as nose and ear are affected, another cartilage can serve to allow further reconstruction.…”

“…The same applies to canalicular injuries in trauma in the eyelid area. Some authors recommend early surgical repair of all ductal and facial nerve injuries 67,74 in addition to conservative treatment of salivary fistulas such as transdermal scopolamine and pressure bandages. 49 Incidence of infections is higher in delayed treated patients.…”

Combined Pharyngeal Laceration and Laryngeal Fracture Secondary to Dog Bite: A Case Report

“…Dog bites are the leading cause of animal bites in the United States (US), with approximately 4.5 million events occurring each year [1]. On average, the annual incidence of emergency room (ED) visits due to dog bites is 1.1 per 1000 US population [2].…”