Dog Bite Risk for Kids Greatest During Summer

To everything, there is a season; and if there were a season for dog bites, it would be summer. The incidence begins to increase in March, as the days get longer and warmer and people and their pets spend more time outdoors. And while anyone, regardless of age, gender or race, could become a dog bite victim in the summer, a recent study found the risk is greatest for young children. 

The study, an analysis of 84 cases of dog bites in children, also found that young children are especially vulnerable to severe bites in the head and neck areas, likely due to their short stature. The most common sites of bites to the head and neck were the cheeks (34 percent), lips (21 percent), and nose and ears (both 8 percent). More than half of the children (64 percent) suffered dog bite wounds in multiple locations, and the average wound size was 7.15 centimeters. Twenty-seven percent of dog bite injuries were caused by family pets. Pit bulls were the breed most commonly involved in attacks.

The researchers said families need to be made aware of the increased risk of dog bites during the summer and recommended a system for uniform data collection, which would include all the circumstances of the dog bite: signs of provocation; adequacy of child supervision; breed and sex of dog; spay-neuter status; history of prior aggression; dog restraint; time of event; patient’s previous history of dog bites; length of dog ownership; location where injury occurred; disposition of dog after the event; and the dog’s vaccination history. This system, combined with more accurate and timely reporting of dog bites to local health officials, could help to identify dog bite trends and assist in developing prevention strategies.

In the United States, dog bites account for about 1 percent of all emergency room visits each year, including 44,000 cases of facial injuries. Countless more bites go untreated. However, experts say all dog bites can be avoided by taking precautions:

• NEVER leave a baby or young child alone with a pet.
• Start teaching young children, including toddlers, to be careful around pets.
• Wait until children are older than 4 years of age before getting a dog.
• Select your family pet carefully and be sure to keep your pet’s vaccinations up-to-date.
• Leave animals alone when they are eating or caring for puppies.
• Keep pets on a leash when in public.
• Avoid sick animals and animals that you don’t know.
• Do not try to separate fighting animals.
• If you are threatened by a dog, remain calm; do not scream or turn and run.
• If you fall or are knocked to the ground, curl into a ball with your hands over your head and neck.

In the event something goes wrong and you are bitten, first seek medical treatment for the wound. Next, if you are bitten by your own dog, confine the animal and make sure their rabies vaccinations are up-to-date. If you are bitten by a stray, contact authorities and tell them everything you can about the dog: the owner’s name, if you know it; the color and size of the dog; where you encountered the dog; and, if and where you’ve seen it before. These details may help animal-control officers locate the dog. In addition, consider asking your physician if post-exposure rabies treatment may be necessary.