Key facts at a glance
- Although dogs are actually peaceful, there are several thousand biting attacks every year.
- Dog bites can cause serious injuries and also lead to infections.
- Severe bite wounds must always be treated by a doctor.
- The victim of the bite can report the owner to the public order office and demand compensation and compensation for pain and suffering.
- Affected dog owners should get to the bottom of the causes of the dog bite and ensure that such an incident does not happen again.
Possible consequences of a dog bite
Dogs have extremely powerful teeth, which they can use to inflict serious injuries on their victims. Even if in many cases it remains with superficial skin injuries or harmless bruises, dog bites can therefore definitely cause broken bones or severed muscles and nerves.
In some cases, a dog bite can even lead to tissue death.
In most cases, dogs bite their victim’s arms or legs. The face is affected in around 30 percent of all cases. Dog bites on the face are often associated with particularly serious injuries and are particularly likely to affect children due to their smaller body size.
Dog bites can become infected
Apart from the consequences of the bite injury itself, the risk of a possible infection should not be underestimated. It is believed that about every fifth dog bite becomes infected.
If you experience symptoms such as redness or fever, a doctor’s visit is essential, even with a supposedly harmless bite injury.
In this context, please also note that a dog bite can lead to a life-threatening infection with tetanus. If it’s been a long time since your last tetanus vaccination, you should definitely have your vaccination refreshed in the event of a biting attack.
What to do if you are bitten by a dog abroad
Of course, there is the possibility of being bitten by a dog not only in Germany, but also abroad. In that case, be aware that rabies is still widespread in some countries.
It is therefore possible, even with a light dog bite, that you will become infected with this dangerous disease. For this reason, even harmless bite injuries abroad are a case for the doctor.
Proper care for a dog bite
If you have been bitten by a dog, the first thing to do is to keep calm. Minor bite wounds do not necessarily have to be treated by a doctor. If the skin injuries are only superficial, it is initially sufficient to clean, disinfect and bandage the wound.
For deeper wounds and serious injuries, however, the situation is different. In this case, a trip to the hospital or doctor’s office is essential. There, any foreign bodies can be removed and the wound professionally cleaned and disinfected.
In addition, the doctor can check if the dog bite has caused further damage and the bite wound may need stitches. You will probably also be prescribed a suitable antibiotic to avoid infection.
Who is liable for the dog bite
Depending on the severity of the bite injury, the care of the wound after a dog bite is of course the most important thing. Apart from that, however, the whole thing also has a legal component. After all, a dog bite can have serious consequences for the victim and is therefore certainly not a trifle.
Normally, the owner is responsible for the behavior of his dog and is therefore also liable if the animal harms a person.
If you decide to take legal action against the dog owner, it is first of all important that you secure evidence. Photograph the bite marks and see a doctor who can document the injuries. Also ask for the details of the dog owner and any witnesses to the incident.
What Dog Bite Victims Can Do
You have a number of options to take action against the pet’s owner after a dog bite. Which of these measures you want to take is, of course, your personal decision.
However, keep in mind that an incident could possibly occur again. Especially when a dog bites for no apparent reason, it can pose a potential danger, which is why you should not let a dog bite in this case.
As a victim of a dog bite, you can take the following actions:
- You can report the owner to the police. As a rule, however, they will not follow the incident.
- You can inform the public order office about the dog bite. This decides whether the owner has to meet requirements in the future or hand over the dog.
- You can sue the dog owner for damages and pain and suffering. In this case, we recommend that you engage a lawyer.
Dog owners must not ignore aggressive behavior
Under normal circumstances, dogs are peaceful animals that get along well with people and other dogs and are far from just biting.
As an affected owner, you should not take a dog bite lightly, but seriously consider the possible causes. After all, you are responsible for your dog and must therefore ensure that the incident does not repeat itself.
Why dogs bite
There are many reasons why a dog bites a human or a fellow dog. The four-legged friend may have simply snapped out of high spirits while romping around. Or maybe he was scared and thought he had to defend himself.
Other possible causes of aggressive behavior in dogs:
- The dog does not hear and see well and is therefore particularly jumpy.
- The animal suffers from pain and therefore has a lower stimulus threshold.
- The four-legged friend has had bad experiences with people.
- The owner does not take care of his dog enough or has made mistakes in his training.
What owners should do after a dog bite
If you suspect that your four-legged friend is suffering from pain or is not seeing properly, you should definitely make an appointment with the veterinarian. They can examine your dog and, if necessary, take the necessary treatment measures.
In the event that the aggressive behavior has no health reasons, we recommend that you seek professional advice. A dog trainer can help you train your dog and teach you how to behave in potentially risky situations.
It is important that you take your dog’s aggressive behavior seriously and take the necessary measures to avoid dog bites in the future. This can also include not letting your four-legged friend off the leash, at least temporarily, or even putting a muzzle on him.