In the past few years, news of bites from rabid and mistreated dogs
have made the headlines. But a new study from researchers in Colorado
says it’s the family pet that people need to be most concerned about.
Moreover, it’s young children that are particularly vulnerable to a
bite.
“People tend to think the family dog is harmless, but it’s not,” said
Vikram Durairaj, MD, associate professor of Ophthalmology and
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Colorado
School of Medicine in a release. “We have seen facial fractures around
the eye, eye lids torn off, injury to the tear drainage system and the
eyeball itself.”
The study – the largest of its kind – looked at 537 children treated
for facial dog bites at The Children’s Hospital on the University of
Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus between 2003 and 2008. Sixty-eight
percent of the bites occurred in children under the age of 5, with the
highest incident rate in 3 year olds.
In most of the cases the child knew the dog in some way – through
friends,family or a neighbor. In more than half of the cases, the dog
was provoked by the child, either by patting too aggressively,
startling it or stepping on it, Duriraj reported.
What’s surprising is that the bites did not occur only with the breeds
usually associated with attacks. In fact, mixed breeds accounted for
23 percent while Labrador retrievers were responsible for 13.7 percent
of the attacks. Rottweilers trailed with 4.9 percent of cases,
followed by German shepherds at 4.4 percent of the time and Golden
retrievers with 3 percent. The study was done in the Denver area where
pit bulls are banned.
“What is clear from our data is that virtually any breed of dog can
bite,” Durairaj said. “The tendency of a dog to bite is related to
heredity, early experience, later socialization and training, health
and victim behavior.”
He stressed that just because a dog is familiar it does not guard
against a potential attack. Moreover, if a dog bites once, it is
likely to bite again. The second time, though, it will be more
vicious. He said the dog should be removed from the household the
first time a bite occurs.
- Kristi Eaton
