| |
Human behavior preceding dog bites to the face
P. Rezac, K. Rezac, P. Slama
Revue : The Veterinary Journal
Highlights
• We examined human and dog interactions preceding bites to the face.
• Bending over a dog, putting the face to the dog's face and gazing between victim and dog preceded bites.
• More than half of the bites were directed towards the central area of the face.
• People should be warned to not express behavior that might be followed by a dog bite to the face.
Abstract
Facial injuries caused by dog bites pose a serious problem. The aims of this study were to determine human behavior immediately preceding a dog bite to the face and to assess the effects of victim age and gender and dog sex and size on the location of the bite to the face and the need for medical treatment. Complete data on 132 incidents of bites to the face were analysed.
A human bending over a dog, putting the face close to the dog's face, and gazing between victim and dog closely preceded a dog bite to the face in 76%, 19% and 5% of cases, respectively. More than half of the bites were directed towards the central area of the victim's face (nose, lips). More than two thirds of the victims were children, none of the victims was an adult dog owner and only adult dogs bit the face. Victim's age and gender and dog's sex and size did not affect the location of the bite on the face. People who were bitten by large dogs sought medical treatment more often than people who were bitten by small dogs (P < 0.01). Risk factors such as bending over the dog, putting the face close to the dog's face and gazing between human and dog should be avoided, and children should be carefully and constantly supervised when in the presence of dogs.
Keywords
Behavior; Dog; Bites to the face; Facial injury; Human
The Veterinary Journal Available online 22 October 2015
Lien
|
|
