Falling victim to a dog bite in San Diego is a traumatic and scary event. Dogs can be extremely strong with sharp teeth that can do a large amount of damage. Often, a dog bite will lead to the victim seeking medical attention for injuries. In fact, there are over 800,000 dog bites in the United States that require medical treatment.

A dog’s saliva and mouth can harbor a larger amount of bacteria. Nearly all dog bites have some sort of harmful bacteria and other pathogens present. The bacteria and pathogens can cause a victim to become infected. For dog bite victims, it is important to be able to recognize the signs of infection. Some of the common signs of infection to watch for after a dog bite in San Diego include:

  • Inflammation – The most common sign that an infection might be setting in after a dog bite is inflammation. The inflammation generally occurs within 8-24 hours after the initial bite occurs.
  • Warm skin – An infection can cause the skin around the puncture wound to become warm to the touch.
  • Redness – As the infection develops, the skin around the bite may become red. The infection may also cause red streaks to run up the arm or leg.
  • Discharge – The victim may notice the wound oozing pus or a white-ish discharge; this is caused by an infection.
  • Fever – as the body tries to fight off infection, the body will increase its body temperature.

Dog bites should never be taken lightly, as they can cause infection. Unfortunately, an infection that is not properly treated can cause long-term complications.

If you are the victim of a dog bite, you need to know that you have legal rights. Contact the experienced San Diego dog bite lawyer Keith J. Stone to discuss your legal options. Call 888-59-HELP-NOW to get free telephone advice for any injury claim.

The San Diego-based Office of attorney Keith J. Stone serves the following areas in Southern California:

San Diego, Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Ventura Counties including the cities of:

San Diego, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Riverside, Chula Vista, Irvine, Glendale, San Bernardino, Huntington Beach, Oxnard, Fontana, Moreno Valley, Oceanside, Rancho Cucamonga, Santa Clarita, Garden Grove, Ontario, Pomona, Palmdale, Pasadena, Corona, Torrance, Escondido, Lancaster, Orange, Fullerton, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, El Monte, Inglewood, Costa Mesa, Downey, West Covina, Victorville, San Buenaventura (Ventura), Norwalk, Burbank, Carlsbad, Temecula, South Gate, Murrieta, Mission Viejo, Rialto, Compton, El Cajon, Carson, Vista, Westminster, Santa Maria, Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, Hawthorne, Alhambra, Hesperia, Whittier, Newport Beach, Chino, San Marcos, Buena Park, Lakewood, Indio, Baldwin Park, Chino Hills, Blythe

Keith J. Stone also handles cases originating elsewhere in California and across the USA.