Dog Bites and Other Animal Injuries

Question 1

Animal bites in veterinarians

Answer 1

59% (AAHA) of workman’s comp claims made by veterinarians and veterinary staff are for bite wounds
30% of AVMA PLIT claims are for cat bites

Question 2

animal bites in general public

Answer 2

Dogs bite nearly 2% of the U.S. population

80%-90% of animal bite wounds treated in the ER are from dogs; ~10% are due to cats

Question 3

Profile of the bitten

Answer 3

60% are children,

Question 4

Characteristics of dog bites

Answer 4

Usually wounds are minor; rarely fatal
Puncture wounds 
Lacerations 
Superficial abrasions
Infections in 3-18%

Question 5

PTSD

Answer 5

Fear and emotional damage from a dog bite can last a lifetime

Question 6

True/False: any dog can bite

Answer 6

True

Question 7

profile of a biter

Answer 7

Bites from large dogs are usually more severe and more likely to cause medical visits / reporting
Unneutered male dogs = 70-76% of reported dog bites

Question 8

True/False: breeds can be identified as prone to bite

Answer 8

False: AVMA fatal dog bite study found breed could not be reliably identified in > 80% of cases

Question 9

True/False: most bites are preventable

Answer 9

True: Most preventable, related to lack of supervision, owner factors, and unrelated to dog breed

Question 10

why do breed bans not work

Answer 10

Heredity isn’t the only cause of biting behavior
No reliable denominator for # of dogs of each breed
No correction of data for repeat biters
Unreliable reporting of breed by owners / reports
Changing popularity of breeds over time

Question 11

True/ False: Breed bans may cause a false sense of security

Answer 11

True: any breed CAN bite!

Question 12

Prevention: for Dog Owners

Answer 12

Consult with a professional to learn about suitable breeds of dogs for your household
Spay/neuter virtually all dogs
Properly socialize and train any dog entering the household

Question 13

cat bites

Answer 13

Less well studied than dog bites – only 5-10% of animal bites in the population at large
The majority of cat bites are inflicted by “known” cats

Question 14

characteristics of a cat bite

Answer 14

~80% on the upper extremities (hands & arms)
Sharp slender teeth = deep puncture wounds
INFECTIONS!!!! up to 80% become infected

Question 15

injury risk factors in veterinarians

Answer 15

Injury is more likely in new vets