A dog bite is not a minor scratch, Feng Yuan Hospital surgeon Chen Ming-tse (陳明澤) said, adding that if people delay treatment, the wound might even cause skin necrosis (death of skin tissue), disfiguration, cellulitis and permanent scars, or even need surgical debridement.
Chen made the remarks in light of a case in which a 28-year-old woman was bitten by her dog when playing at home, causing skin and muscle tear on the cheek, and through immediate treatment with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, her facial lines and smile were successfully repaired, and she can eat and drink normally.
The woman, surnamed Hu (胡), was playing with her dog at home, when it suddenly bit her on the cheek, causing profuse bleeding, and her family quickly rushed her to hospital for emergency treatment, Chen cited Hu as saying.
Photo courtesy of Feng Yuan Hospital
When Hu arrived at the emergency room, she had a laceration wound of about 4cm long on her right cheek, which reached a deep muscle layer, with skin defect and teeth penetration marks, so the medical team immediately administered first aid, Chen said.
They thoroughly rinsed and disinfected the wound, removed necrotic and contaminated tissues, controlled local bleeding, and administered intravenous antibiotics and tetanus vaccine to prevent infection, he said, adding that considering the depth of the wound, they decided to apply cosmetic suture.
To speed up tissue recovery, the medical team also administered PRP, using concentrated blood platelets derived from the patient’s blood, to help stimulate healing of the wound, he said.
PRP stimulates cell growth and collagen production, accelerating the repair process, so it is an important supporting method for bite wound reconstruction, he said, adding that the patient would also need hyperbaric oxygen therapy afterwards for better healing and to reduce the risk of complications.
Wu Yu-hsin (吳育欣), director of the hospital’s dermatology department, said bite wounds on the face usually leave serious scars with jagged edges and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, so post-surgical treatment is crucial and should be received as early as possible.
Wu said he prescribed Hu botulinum toxin injection and laser treatment, along with scar gel to reduce post-injury localized skin tension, as well as avoid worsening the scar.
Laser treatment can ablate scar tissues and stimulate the production of collagen, improving skin appearance, he said, adding that Hu’s skin regeneration is making good progress, and that she only needs to attend follow-up checkups.
If people get bitten by a dog on their face, hands, genitals or other high-risk areas, they should seek medical attention immediately and get proper treatment — including wound debridement, medication and be assessed if stature is needed — within six hours, to significantly reduce infection risk and effectively preserve their appearance, Chen said.
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