A dog bite may appear to be nothing more than a small cut or scratch, but delaying treatment could lead to far more serious complications.
A Malaysian family medicine doctor recently took to Threads to warn the public after seeing numerous dog bite cases at his Jalan Terengganu and Farlim branches over the past two months.
Some patients had to be referred for surgery
Posting under the username @drkhaw_familymedicine, the doctor said the cases ranged from minor scratches to deep wounds that could no longer be treated at a clinic.
Some patients had to be referred to hospital for surgical debridement, a procedure where damaged or contaminated tissue is removed to help the wound heal properly.
In one case involving a secondary school student, the doctor said the wound was so deep that the patient had to be followed up by an orthopaedic specialist.
A screenshot of the doctors’ conversation indicated that the student later underwent debridement under general anaesthesia.
The doctor stressed that dog bites should not be dismissed as ordinary wounds as they can introduce bacteria and cause infections in the skin and surrounding tissue.
Animal bites can also cause serious infections and injuries, particularly when the wound is deep or treatment is delayed.
What should you do after being bitten?
The doctor advised victims to immediately wash the wound using soap and running water for at least 15 minutes.
This is also recommended by the World Health Organization as an important first aid step to reduce the risk of infection and rabies.
Victims should then seek medical attention instead of waiting until the wound becomes swollen or infected.
A doctor will assess whether the wound requires deeper cleaning, antibiotics or other treatment. Not every bite wound is suitable to be stitched immediately.
The person’s tetanus vaccination status and risk of rabies may also need to be evaluated depending on the animal, severity of the bite and the animal’s vaccination status.
Malaysia’s Ministry of Health similarly advises those bitten by a dog or cat to wash the affected area with soap and running water before seeking immediate treatment at a clinic or hospital.
‘Don’t wait’
While many people are mainly concerned about rabies, the doctor said bacterial infection following a dog bite should not be overlooked.
“Don’t wait. Don’t simply apply medication yourself. Don’t assume it is a normal wound,” he wrote.
He added that receiving treatment early could help prevent more serious complications.
So, even when a dog bite looks small, it is safer to clean it properly and let a medical professional assess it as soon as possible.
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