Bite Wound: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

A bite wound refers to an injury to the skin and underlying tissue caused by the teeth of a living creature (usually an animal). In many cases, the injury itself is not very dangerous; however, there is a not insignificant risk of infection, which can cause more severe courses of disease.

What is a bite wound?

Infographic on the symptomatology and prevention of rabies in humans. Click to enlarge. A bite wound is an injury that, as the name implies, is caused by a bite. Often, not only the skin is injured in this way, but also the underlying tissue. Therefore, bleeding occurs, which can vary in severity. Bite wounds can vary in depth depending on how hard the bite was and what creature caused the wound. Dog bites are the most common, but cats, horses or even humans can also cause a corresponding injury through a bite. Bite wounds not infrequently consist of bruises and lacerations, always depending on the nature of the teeth of the causer.

Causes

The term bite wound already directly designates the cause of the injury. It is a so-called mechanical wound, which is caused by an impact of force by teeth. Most bite wounds are animal bites. Especially children are often affected, because they often can not yet properly handle animals and are therefore bitten more quickly. According to statistics, about 80% of all bite wounds come from dogs that do not know any other way to defend themselves. In disputes, human bites also occur at times, which are usually less deep than dog bites, for example, due to the nature of human teeth.

Symptoms, complaints and signs

A bite wound usually does not require an explicit diagnosis, because in most cases the affected person has actively witnessed the event. Bite wounds often come from animals, and here most often from dogs. A distinction is made between different types: In the case of the sharp-edged bite wound, one tooth or several teeth have usually entered the bite area perpendicularly and left it again along the same path. This results in a punctate but often deep injury. The depth determines the duration of the healing process. In the case of the lacerated bite wound, a piece of material is bitten out of the attacked area by the attacker. These wounds are usually less painful at first, but often take longer to heal and have more scarring. Typical symptoms of bite wounds are severe pain and moderate to heavy bleeding. It depends on how large the injured vessels are and how well supplied with blood the attacked area is. A bite wound in the calf, for example, bleeds less heavily than a bite wound in the hand area. In any case, a doctor must be consulted for a bite wound, as the wound must be professionally cleaned, disinfected and often also stitched. Furthermore, the treating physician checks whether an active tetanus vaccination is present or must be made up for. It must also be checked whether the attacking animal may have rabies.

Diagnosis and course

A medical examination after an animal or human bite can quickly clarify which injury is present and to what extent. In this context, it is also relevant for the medical practitioner how the bite occurred, which animal is involved and what medical history the affected person has. Since local infection occurs in almost 50% of all cases after a bite wound, this information is important for appropriate and effective therapy. If an infection occurs, it manifests itself as redness, swelling, pain or even pus formation. If left untreated, it can, at worst, affect the entire organism and/or result in serious illness.

Complications

Bite wounds can cause a wide variety of complications. First, there is the risk that the wound will become infected by bacteria and dirt. Bite wounds caused by wild and free-ranging animals are particularly dangerous, as there is a risk of rabies or tetanus infection if vaccinations are not available. Cat bites often extend to the bone and can lead to infections at the joint cavities. Complications can also arise if the wound is not only external, but is accompanied by injuries to the bones or muscle and nerve cords.Then there may be sensory disturbances and paralysis, but also displaced fractures and later deformities. More often, bite wounds result in pain and fever symptoms, which can lead to multifaceted complications in children, the elderly, pregnant women and patients at risk. Bite wounds are also often associated with trauma and subsequent psychological impairment. Treatment of bite wounds can be complicating if the wound does not heal completely or gapes again after suturing (dehiscence). To avoid complications and late effects, bite wounds should always receive initial emergency medical care and then be treated and cured under medical observation.

When should you go to the doctor?

A bite wound should always be examined by a doctor, even if it is only a superficial injury. This is because it can lead to the transmission of various diseases, such as rabies. Blood poisoning can also result from an existing bite wound. Who decides in such a case for a medical and medicinal treatment, which has good chances on a fast and complete recovery. However, if you do not seek medical treatment for an existing bite wound, you expose yourself to great danger. Possible pathogens can spread throughout the body, resulting in a serious infection. In addition, there may be headaches, nausea, vomiting and an elevated temperature. If these symptoms occur immediately after a bite wound, an appropriate doctor should be consulted at the latest then. Otherwise, there is even an acute danger to life if the existing bite wound is not treated by a doctor or appropriate medication. For this reason, the following applies: A bite wound should always be treated as quickly as possible with appropriate medication or by a specialist. Only in this way can a complete and rapid healing be ensured.

Treatment and therapy

Affected persons often cannot tell at first glance whether a bite wound requires medical action or will heal on its own. Especially small injuries with a small blood loss are not seldom underestimated. Nevertheless, a doctor should be consulted to avoid infection. In addition to the initial treatment of the injury, the physician takes special care to disinfect the affected area and thus prevent inflammation. For this purpose, the tissue can be treated with special medical rinses. Often, it is also advisable to take antibiotics for a few days. The patient’s existing vaccinations are also checked, because bite wounds can cause rabies, hepatitis or tetanus and thus pose a threat to health and life. Open wounds usually bleed very heavily at first. However, if no hemophilia is present or no anticoagulant medications are taken, a wound usually closes with scabs within 12 hours. If necessary, missed vaccinations are made up (this is especially the case with tetanus). If the bite wound is very deep, it may need to be stitched, which the doctor does on an outpatient basis under a local anesthetic. Before going to a doctor or the hospital, patients should take care to cover the bite wound sterilely, if possible, to prevent germs from getting in. If a bite wound is treated appropriately, it usually heals without problems. However, scars usually remain visible forever. Larger or infected wounds, however, may require long and intensive treatment, especially if the patient has a difficult medical history.

Outlook and prognosis

The prognosis for a bite wound is directly linked to the type of bite wound and the severity of the injury. For example, superficial bite wounds in which only the upper layer of skin has been affected are less serious than deeper bites and flesh wounds. In addition, there are animals in which a bite is generally considered more harmless than in others. Thus, in about half of all cases, an infection of the wound occurs – especially common in dog bites, human bites or insect bites. In addition, bacteria that enter the wound from the outside also play a role here, whereby the dangers are partly also dependent on the vaccination status. If such an infection is not treated appropriately, it can spread to the entire body and, in the worst case, lead to serious complications or death.Decisive for the prognosis of a bite wound are the cleaning and the subsequent treatment. If a wound is treated professionally, no complications are to be feared. Occasionally, surgical measures are indicated to close the wound. The duration of treatment depends on the severity of the injury and varies accordingly from a few days to several weeks. Trauma may occur as a result of a more severe bite injury and the development of a phobia targeting the animal in question. The extent to which this requires treatment and the extent to which this further limits the individual must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Prevention

Because a bite wound is an injury, there can be no complete prevention. However, special care should be taken when dealing with animals, especially if children are also involved. An existing vaccination protection is to be paid attention in principle with all persons, so that it does not come in case of a bite to heavy after-effects. In case of doubt, a doctor should always be consulted if there is a bite wound with a skin lesion.

Aftercare

Appropriate aftercare is very important and significant in the case of a bite wound, otherwise unnecessary complications may arise. After medical treatment has been given, a bite wound should be closely monitored. Under certain circumstances, an infection can occur if the wound is contaminated with bacteria. Whoever forgoes all follow-up examinations at this point exposes himself to a great risk. In particularly bad cases, there is even the threat of blood poisoning, which can lead to death. In addition, the formation of an abscess is possible. In this case, pus fluid accumulates, which should be treated by a doctor. If you decide to have regular follow-up examinations for a bite wound, you can count on a smooth healing process. Such examinations are absolutely necessary with such a wound, since numerous different complications and side effects can arise. Of course, the severity of the existing bite wound should also be taken into consideration. Small superficial bite wounds of course also require follow-up examinations, since said complications can also arise at a later time. In the case of a bite wound, follow-up examinations must definitely take place in the subsequent healing process. Otherwise, the affected person must expect significant after-effects, which in many cases are even life-threatening.

This is what you can do yourself

A bite wound must first be intensively cleaned and disinfected. By using special rinsing solutions, a further infection of the wound can possibly still be prevented. The wound can then be dressed with a plaster or bandage. Sterile compresses or moist plasters from the pharmacy are suitable for larger injuries. However, large bite wounds should always be treated by a doctor and, if necessary, closed surgically to minimize the risk of infection and blood loss. In addition, vaccination protection should be checked and refreshed if necessary. For further wound care, it is recommended that the injured body part be spared and observed. If the wound does not heal well and becomes infected, for example, a doctor must be consulted. If the wound heals well, the healing process can be additionally accelerated by coconut oil, honey, aloe vera or white vinegar. Another home remedy is the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial plantain, which can be applied in the form of crushed leaves on the cleaned bite wound. Lastly, do not scrape off a formed crust and protect the damaged area well from sunlight. Regular hydration and taking plenty of vitamins A, C, E and proteins will further promote healing of a bite wound.