After suffering from a dog bite, your first concerns might revolve around obvious illnesses and physical damage. After rabies, most people do not consider the other health hazards that a bite can pose.
In particular, bites come along with an increased risk of bacterial infection. One such infection caused by capnocytophaga bacteria may prove especially deadly.
Early symptoms and their progression
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention examine capnocytophaga infections in dog bite victims. This infection has a typical incubation period of several days, but it can take as little as a few hours or as long as two weeks for symptoms to show.
These symptoms often start around the area of injection, i.e. the bite wound. As with any infection, you will likely notice redness and swelling in the area. It might feel painful or sore to touch and can leak puss or other fluids. The skin here may also feel hot.
This could soon progress to full-body fever as your immune system tries to fight the infection off. You may experience symptoms similar to a flu, like body aches, sore joints and muscles and weakness in the extremities. You may also experience digestive troubles such as vomiting or diarrhea.
Severe possible outcomes
If the infection continues unchecked, it can escalate to potentially deadly levels. High infections can create issues like organ failure and heart attacks. It can also lead to further complications like gangrene and necrosis, which may lead to amputations. Finally, it can cause sepsis, a blood infection that may result in death within 72 hours.
Thus, you want to get immediate medical attention for any dog bite, no matter how serious you think it is. Doing so can save your life.
