dog bite fact sheet layout.qxp

ENA Injury Prevention Institute/EN CARE Changing behavior. Saving lives. DOG BITE FACTS Deaths and Injuries Every year 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs, 60% of these victims are children.1,2 Each year nearly 800,000 dog bites require medical attention. Of those, approximately 386,000 people require treatment in an emergency department.1,2,3 Approximately 12 people die from dog bites every year.2 Almost half of typical dog bite victims are children younger than 14 years of age.4 Injury rates are highest for children age 5-9 years, especially boys.4 Body Part Injured Head/Neck Upper Trunk Lower Trunk Arm/Hand Leg/Foot Other Totals 2001 Emergency Room Incidents4 83,946 5,036 14,432 166,756 94,848 2,328 368,245 Percent (%) 22.8 1.4 3.9 45.3 25.8 .6 100 Last updated April 13, 2006 ENA Injury Prevention Institute/EN CARE 915 Lee Street, Des Plaines, Illinois 60016-6569 Phone: 847- 460-4112 Fax: (847) 460-4005 E-mail: ipinstitute@ena.org INJURY PREVENTION INSTITUTE ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ In recent years, among purebreds, Rottweilers were most commonly involved in fatal attacks, followed by Pit bull-type dogs, German Shepherds, Huskytype, and Malamute.5 Among crossbreds, WolfDog Hybrid and Mixed breeds were the most commonly involved in fatal attacks.5 Un-neutered dogs are more than 2.6 times more likely to bite than neutered dogs. Male dogs are 6.2 times more likely to bite than female dogs.6 Hospital expenses for dog bite-related emergency visits are estimated at $102.4 million.7 Emergency nurses have an obligation to educate other health professionals and the public on healthy and safe lifestyles. In emergency departments, much of the traumas that are seen are preventable. It is often impossible to repair the broken bodies and shattered lives that result from trauma. A general goal of the ENA Injury Prevention Institute /EN CARE is to reduce preventable injuries and deaths by raising awareness, providing education, and promoting healthy lifestyles. ENA Injury Prevention Institute/EN CARE Changing behavior. Saving lives. DOG BITE PREVENTION TIPS Preventing Dog Bites Teach children basic safety around dogs and review regularly: Do not approach an unfamiliar dog.3,7 Do not run from a dog and scream.3,4,7 Remain motionless (e.g., “be still like a tree”) when approached by an unfamiliar dog.3,7 If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and lie still (e.g., “be still like a log”).3,5,15 Do not play with a dog unless supervised by an adult.3 Immediately report stray dogs or dogs displaying unusual behavior to an adult.3 Avoid direct eye contact with a dog.3 Do not disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.3 Do not pet a dog without allowing it to see and sniff you first.3 If bitten, immediately report the bite to an adult.3 Things to Consider Before You Get a Dog Last updated April 13, 2006 Emergency nurses have an obligation to educate other health professionals and the public on healthy and safe lifestyles. In emergency departments, much of the traumas that are seen are preventable. It is often impossible to repair the broken bodies and shattered lives that result from trauma. A general goal of the ENA Injury Prevention Institute /EN CARE is to reduce preventable injuries and deaths by raising awareness, providing education, and promoting healthy lifestyles. ENA Injury Prevention Institute/EN CARE 915 Lee Street, Des Plaines, Illinois 60016-6569 Phone: 847- 460-4112 Fax: (847) 460-4005 E-mail: ipinstitute@ena.org ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ Consult with a professional (e.g., veterinarian, animal behaviorist, or responsible breeder) to learn about suitable breeds of dogs for your household.3 Dogs with histories of aggression are inappropriate in households with children.3 Be sensitive to cues that a child is fearful or apprehensive about a dog and, if so, delay acquiring a dog.3 Spend time with a dog before buying or adopting it. Use caution when bringing a dog into the home of an infant or toddler.3 Spay/neuter virtually all dogs (this frequently reduces aggressive tendencies).3 Never leave infants or young children alone with any dog.3 Do not play aggressive games with your dog (e.g., wrestling).3 Properly socialize and train any dog entering the household. Teach the dog submissive behaviors (e.g., rolling over to expose abdomen and relinquishing food without growling).3 Immediately seek professional advice (e.g., from veterinarians, animal behaviorists, or responsible breeders) if the dog develops aggressive or undesirable behaviors.3 ENA Injury Prevention Institute/EN CARE Changing behavior. Saving lives. DOG BITE FACTS REFERENCES Parenthood.com (2004). Beware the Bite! Retrieved April 4, 2006 from http://www.parenthood.com/articles.html?article_id=3961 American Veterinary Medical Association (2006). Dog Bite Fact Sheet. Retrieved April 4, 2006 from http://avma.org/press/publichealth/dogbite/factsheet.asp Center for Disease Control, (2006, March). National Dog Bite Prevention Week. Retrieved April 4, 2006 from http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/biteprevention.htm Centers for Disease Control (2003, July). Nonfatal Dog Bite-Related Injuries Treated in Hospital Emergency Departments – United States, 2001, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Retrieved April 5, 2006 from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5226a1.htm Sacks, J.J., Sinclair, L., Gilchrist, J. Golab, S.C., & Lockwood, R. (2000). Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 217(6), 836-840. DrKlein.net Health Matters (2000, March). Dog bite statistics. Retrieved April 5, 2006 from http://www.drklein.net/_disc1/00000031.htm St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center (n.d.). Preventing Dog Bites. Retrieved February 17, 2004 from http://www.sthuberts.org/petpouri/articles/dogbites.asp FURTHER READINGS American Academy of Family Physicians (2001, April). Preventing Dog Bites. Retrieved April 7, 2006 from http://www.aafp.org/afp/20010415/1573ph.html American Society of Plastic Surgeons (2004). Dog Bite Awareness: Beware the Bite!. Retrieved April 7, 2006 from http://www.plasticsurgery.org/public_education/Dog-Bite-Awareness.cfm American Veterinary Medical Association (2006). Dog Bite Prevention Message Points. Retrieved April 4, 2006 from http://avma.org/press/publichealth/dogbite/messpoints.asp American Veterinary Medical Association (2006). A Community Approach to Dog Bite Prevention. Retrieved April 4, 2006 from http://www.avma.org/public_health/dogbite/dogbite.pdf Dog Bite Law (1999 – 2001). Dog Bite Statistics. Retrieved April 5, 2006 from http:/ www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/teach.htm National Animal Interest Alliance (2003). Are there too many dogs and cats? Retrieved April 7, 2006 from http://www.naiaonline.org/body/articles/archives/overpop1.htm Texas Department of Health (2000 – 2004). Animal Bite Reporting: Why should I bother reporting? Retrieved April 7, 2006 from http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/zoonosis/animcont/BITERPT/BITEREP.ASP The Humane Society of the United States (2004). Avoiding Dog Bites. Retrieved April 7, 2006 from http://www.hsus.org/ace/11764 RESOURCES American Veterinary Medical Association (2004).Educational Resources for Dog Bite Prevention. Retrieved April 7, 2006 from http://www.avma.org/pubhlth/dogbite/ INJURY PREVENTION INSTITUTE ENA Injury Prevention Institute/EN CARE 915 Lee Street, Des Plaines, Illinois 60016-6569 Phone: 847- 460-4112 Fax: (847) 460-4005 E-mail: ipinstitute@ena.org