How to manage bite wounds in veterinary practice

Bite wounds are one of the most common traumatic injuries presented in general practice. The delay between injury and examination can vary greatly, determining how the bite wound is managed. However, there may be other contributing factors that may affect the healing process.

Most bite wounds originate as a result of a large dog versus small dog attack scenario, however many domestic incidences also occur in multi-dog households. Common locations for bites are around the face, head, neck and leg area (Yuill, 2011), although it is not un-common to treat wounds in other locations, so a thorough examination is vital to establish the extent of damage caused (Figure 1). Bite wounds can be challenging to assess. External trauma often disguises further injury to underlying tissue, often referred to as the iceberg effect (Campbell, 2013). An in-depth discussion with owners prior to examination should be conducted at this stage, as it can be difficult to determine the best method of wound management until a full assessment has been made. Owners should be made aware of the potential cost implications of stabilisation, medication, laboratory testing, the management of extensive wounds and even hospitalisation in severe cases.