How Do I Know If My Dog Bite Needs Stitches?

Whether a dog bite needs stitches depends on depth, location, contamination, and timing — and the decision is more complicated than for other wounds. Here’s what Michigan ER doctors look for.

The Short Answer

Get to an ER or urgent care to let a provider decide — but as a general rule, dog bites that are deeper than skin level, longer than half an inch, gaping open, on the face, or still bleeding after 15 minutes of pressure usually need stitches. Many dog bites are NOT stitched because closing the wound traps bacteria. The provider may clean and leave it open intentionally, or use loose closure that allows drainage.

Video coming soon — Solomon Radner answers this question

The Detailed Answer

Dog bite wounds are different from cuts. A clean kitchen knife laceration is usually stitched closed to heal cleanly. Dog bites are messy, contaminated wounds — and stitching them closed too tightly can trap bacteria deep in tissue, leading to infection or abscess. Modern wound care for dog bites is more nuanced than “stitch it up.”

Signs your bite likely needs professional closure

The wound is deeper than skin level — you can see fat, muscle, or tendon
The wound is gaping open — edges won’t come together on their own
The wound is longer than half an inch
The wound is on the face, hands, or genitals — areas where scarring or functional impact is significant
Bleeding continues after 15 minutes of direct pressure
You can see tissue underneath the skin layer

Why some bites are deliberately left open

For deep puncture wounds and contaminated bites, providers often choose delayed primary closure or healing by secondary intention. This means the wound is cleaned thoroughly, packed with sterile material, and allowed to drain — sometimes for several days — before being closed. It looks worse short-term but produces less infection and often better cosmetic results.

Face wounds get special treatment

For facial bites, providers usually request plastic surgery consultation. Facial wounds heal differently than other body areas, and an ER physician closing a complex facial wound that should have been handled by a plastic surgeon can result in significantly worse scarring. Always ask: “Can a plastic surgeon evaluate this?” See our page on facial dog bite injuries for more.

What This Means for Your Case

The wound care decisions made at the ER become important evidence in your dog bite case. The medical records will document the depth, location, and severity of the wound. They will note whether the wound was closed, partially closed, or left open. And they will record the provider’s professional judgment about expected scarring and complications. All of this directly supports your damages claim under Michigan’s strict liability statute.

The cost of every aspect of wound care — stitches, sutures removal, follow-up visits, scar revision down the road — is recoverable from the dog owner’s insurance.

What If I Closed the Wound Myself?

If you used butterfly closures, super glue, or otherwise treated the wound at home, you can still file a claim. But the lack of professional medical documentation is a real disadvantage. Even now, go to a doctor or urgent care to have the wound evaluated. They will document the injury, take photos for the medical record, and provide ongoing care if needed. The medical record is what your case will be built on.

Bitten by a dog in Michigan? Call 1-800-LAWSUIT or request a free case review. No fee unless we win.