Why are dog bites so prone to infection?
1) The flora partying in a dog’s mouth boggle the mind. Watch a dog go about his day–he uses his tongue like we use our hands, though with a little less thought. Lick the floor, lick their balls, hey, some poop, might as well lick that, too! If Fido’s thirsty, well, what’s a toilet for? A dog’s mouth is full of anaerobic bacteria, the sort that flourish in a low oxygen environment. 2) Dog bites can exert a pressure of a couple hundred pounds per square inch. A crush injury means less blood flow to the injured area. Without blood flow, little oxygen can get to the area. The white blood cells, essential for fighting infection, cannot get to the bacteria. 3) Dogs have pointy teeth, leading to punctures. (Why do you think our pointy teeth are called canines?)The puncture wounds quickly seal up, trapping bacteria inside. (Cats have even pointier teeth, one reason cat bites are so dangerous.) What can you do? First, avoid getting bit. No one wants to hear it after the fact, but maybe trying
