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Editor: Jeffrey Harlan Penneys, Esq.
Profession: Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorney

Category: Dog Bite Questions and Answers

Because dogs are predators by nature, they almost always attack with their teeth. And the teeth and jaws of a big working dog -- the kind most likely to send someone to a doctor -- can be very strong, exerting up to 450 pounds of pressure per square inch.

That's more than ten times the pressure that a human hand can apply. That overwhelming force and the rounded teeth of the dog create a crush wound, one of the most common and potentially grave wounds caused by a dog bite. The dog literally crushes the flesh, bones, nerves and tendons of the victim, causing deep and serious injuries including broken bones and permanent nerve and muscle damage.

Because younger victims are more likely to sustain dog-bite wounds to the vital and sensitive areas of their heads and necks, a crush wound can be a matter of life and death to children who are attacked by dogs. A study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission cites an anecdote about a girl of 18 months who had her skull and jawbone broken and her ear and cheek ripped away by the family dog. A dog can also cause a crush wound without breaking the skin; the soft tissues and bones beneath the dog's powerful jaws will still be broken and torn. In fact, those injuries are often more serious and painful than the flesh wounds opened by an attacking dog's teeth.

However, a puncture, cut or abrasion to the skin, which represent the majority of dog attack wounds, is not to be dismissed. When dogs have "locked on" to the victim, they often turn their heads violently, literally tearing flesh away. In this way, victims can lose large chunks of flesh, even entire limbs, and large amounts of blood -- life-threatening and life-changing injuries. Cuts and abrasions can also lead to permanent scarring, which follows victims for the rest of their lives and may affect their social lives, employment prospects and mental health. Wounds that temporarily or permanently limit the victims' mobility may reduce their income or even take away their livelihood. And a wound to the sensitive systems of the hand may cause lifelong disability and will almost certainly reduce the victim's ability to be independent.

Finally, puncture wounds -- the most common type of dog bite wound -- bring a special risk of infection and disease. The dog's teeth work like a twisted version of a syringe, injecting potential infections deep into the victim's body. Because of their poor circulation, hands that have been bitten also run a high risk of infection. The American Association of Family Physicians reports that infections happen in 15 to 20 percent of dog bite wounds; the risk goes up if the victim has a chronic health condition like diabetes or lupus; abuses alcohol; or has had an amputation or an organ removed.