Dog bite injuries in children. Treatment and aftercare

Following a review of the literature, dog bite injuries are analyzed in terms of their hazards and risk profile. The infection risk is especially high in bite wounds of hands and feet, close to joints, and in older injuries. Meticulous surgical debridement, early defect coverage including flap techniques, and regular early antibiotic therapy are recommended. Wound irrigation under high pressure is discouraged. Patients with bite injuries of the face or hands should be transferred to a specialized unit of plastic surgery or hand surgery.