Animal bites

Patient outlook is varied and dependent on the extent of the wound and patient factors. For minor bites, the prognosis for complete recovery with appropriate therapy is, in general, excellent. For more complicated injuries, prognosis and survival rate should be determined on a case by case basis. For dog bite injuries in the US, over 850,000 people per year seek medical attention, with approximately 30,000 requiring reconstructive procedures. Additionally, 3% to 18% of these cases lead to infections, and between 10 to 20 result in fatalities.[6]World Health Organization. Animal bites. Feb 2018​ [internet publication]. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/animal-bites Although mortality is uncommon, morbidity, especially scarring, can be high.