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Dog Bite Victims In Washington State Often Require Facial Reconstructive Surgery

Updated on: 11/13/2019

Dog Bite Plastic SurgeryDog bites are traumatic and, sometimes, life-altering. Davis Law Group, P.S., realizes that. And part of making dog bite victims whole is reversing the damage the bite did. 

An Indiana University Health North Hospital study reported that “regardless of the severity of the trauma, most dog bite injuries result in permanent scars, and secondary revision surgery is frequently needed.”

Part of the reason dog bites are likely to cause scars is the bacteria in a dog's mouth. Often times medical professionals decline to stitch up dog bites. Quick treatment of dog bite injuries to the face can also help reduce the potential for permanent facial injuries and disfigurement

Regardless of getting quick medical attention and quality surgical care, more than 75 percent of dog bite cases involving children require additional “scar revision” surgery in an attempt to improve the overall aesthetic results. A quarter of patients require a second or third revision surgery to get the best possible results.

Otolaryngologists and facial plastic surgeons that specialize in facial reconstruction surgery are finding that more and more of their patients are victims of serious dog bites. Doctors are reporting an alarming increase in the number of injuries from pit bull attacks. Treating severe dog bite injuries to the face can be a challenge. Treatment may require plastic surgery techniques can involve everything from traditional sutures to state-of-the-art laser resurfacing.

Surgeons use equal parts art and science in the repair and reconstruction of dog bite injuries. Rebuilding a nose may require surgeons to use cartilage from different sources to rebuild some of the structural support, while rib cartilage and ear cartilage can be used to rebuild the strength in the nose. Expanders may be used to stretch and reshape skin.

Children Bitten In The Face By A Dog

Half of the dog bite injuries nationwide that require treatment in a hospital are to adults but injured children suffer equally and their injuries are often more severe. Serious child injuries due to vicious dog attacks increase every summer.

According to a study conducted by pediatric otolaryngologists from the University at Buffalo's School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, young children are especially vulnerable to severe dog bites in the head and neck areas. One-third of the bites occurred on the cheeks, 21 percent on the lips, and 8 percent each on the nose and ears, results showed.

Contact Our Dog Bite Lawyers For Help

The award-winning team of personal injury attorneys at Davis Law Group have helped innocent injury victims in Seattle and across Washington state get the compensation they deserve after a traumatic dog bite or attack. Our legal team knows exactly how to properly investigate and build a strong case so that our clients get the best possible settlement for their damages. 

Call Davis Law Group at (206) 727-4000 to learn more about your legal rights after a dog bite and to request a free legal consultation with our attorneys. We work on contingency fee basis, so there are no up-front costs and you only owe attorney's fees after we recover a settlement on your behalf. 

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