Definition of Dog Bite

Dog Bite: A bite wound inflicted by a dog. Approximately 880,000 dog bite victims seek emergency medical care at hospitals in the U.S. every year. The pressure exerted by the dog's jaws during the bite can cause significant damage to the tissues under the skin, including bones, muscles, tendons, blood vessels, and nerves. The main medical issues to be addressed with dog bites are the skin damage; any injury to underlying tissues such as muscle, nerve, and bone; and the significant potential for infection of the wound.