St. Louis MO Dog Attack Attorneys
Foot Fractures And Dog Attacks
The foot is not a common place to sustain injury from a dog bite since many attacks occur outside where most people are wearing shoes. However, without the protection of a shoe, injury can occur. Fracture during a dog bite is the result of the compressive force of the dog's jaw on the foot.
Fractures associated with a dog bite are the severe because there are associated puncture wounds in the foot from the dog's teeth, allowing bacteria to potentially infect not only the skin wound but also the broken bone.
Symptoms and Treatment
As with any fracture, breaking your foot during a dog attack will cause a great deal of pain, swelling and bruising. If the individual attempts to stand, it will be difficult to place any weight on the foot. In addition, there may or may not be an obvious deformity of the foot.
A foot fracture associated with a dog bite is considered a dirty, open fracture due to the potential for bacteria to colonize the wound and infect the bone. Treatment therefore, must not only focus on the broken bone but also on preventing infection. The wounds will be cleaned thoroughly with sterile water or saline. Antibiotics will be started and given routinely for a couple days prior to treating the broken bone.
If surgery is not needed, a walking boot may be placed on the foot; otherwise, surgical repair of the fracture will take place after the antibiotics have been given sufficient time to build in your system to help decrease the likelihood of infection. Due to the high risk of infection with these types of fractures, it must be followed closely with frequent checking of the skin wounds for signs of infection.
Prognosis
With any fracture, there is always a risk of the bones not healing properly, especially as we age. However, the majority of individuals have an uneventful and complete recovery with proper care and antibiotics. There are some individuals who will still end up with an infection, possibly requiring additional surgery or more extensive treatment. With any traumatic bone injury involving a joint, there is a risk of developing arthritis at an early age.
Find the Right Injury Lawyer After a Dog Attack
Page Law provides quality legal services for dog bite injury and other animal attacks. If you've suffered a debilitating foot injury caused by a vicious dog, our St. Louis dog bite attorneys stand ready to help. You can find quality legal representation by calling (314) 322-8515 today to learn more about how we can protect your legal rights.
