Police K-9 Bites Patient

[Asclepius]

I had an interesting call recently. A guy who had been trying to break into a home or business (I am not sure which) was being tracked by the dogs. The guy hid in a dark alley and, well, as you can imagine the dogs found him. The dog took a chunk of his knee out all the way to the bone. This guy is going to have long term deficits from this bite. Lots of fatty tissue was all around his leg, but you could plainly see the bone and the ligament.

Frankly, this is my first animal bite. I didn't think a dog could bite down so hard and cause so much damage. Anyone here have any experience with this sort of thing?

 

[Chimpie]

I've seen a dog crack a fiberglass sleeve wrapped in a burlap sack. He was my German Shepherd. Good boy.

 

[Epi-do]

I've seen some pretty nasty K-9 bites in the past. You have to keep in mind that as part of their training, these dogs are taught to bite (when commanded to do so). The dog is just doing it's job. Sorry, but I have a hard time feeling sorry for the people that get bit. If they had done what they were told to do & didn't run, they wouldn't have gotten up close and personal with the K-9.

The worst bite I have ever had though, was from a pit that attacked a little girl. Her arm was almost completely severed just below the shoulder. I did find out a couple months ago that they were miraculously able to save it. I was shocked, because it was such a bad mauling.

 

[Anomalous]

He's lucky he got a low-velocity bite instead of a high-velocity round.

 

[medic001918]

He's lucky he got a low-velocity bite instead of a high-velocity round.

+1. I agree that the dog was doing his job. As far as treatment goes for this, a saline rinse, clean bandages and immobilization. If he weren't doing something stupid in the first place, he wouldn't have lost some of the use of his leg. Guess he'll have a good reminder why it's important to make better decisions.

Shane
NREMT-P

 

[Onceamedic]

I had a K-9 bite guy come into the ED (with the cops) a couple of months ago. He had gashes all over his arm - deep, serious lacerations. He was too ETOH'd up to feel it tho - which is probably why he had so many bites to begin with. He wanted to show me the lacerations around his groin (Good Dog) but I told him that was ok - he could wait for the doctor.

 

[Asclepius]

He's lucky he got a low-velocity bite instead of a high-velocity round.

You're absolutely right. I often have a difficult time with this, but I always try to treat my patients, even the criminal ones, without any regard to their crime or frequent flier status. I just personally feel that it isn't my job to be their judge and jury...all I am tasked with is treating their medical needs. But boy, it is sure hard to do sometimes.

 

[BossyCow]

Often with a dog bite the injury is due to the compression rather than a laceration. A trained attack dog will generally bite to hold the limb. The damage generally occurs when the victim struggles against that pressure. There can be muscle or ligament/tendon injury to the joint above, as well as soft tissue damage at the site of the injury. Long term effects of a dog bite can be pretty severe.

A viscious or untrained dog will create totally different patterns of injury because its motive is different. Follow the mechanism of injury.