Statistics on dog bites and the need for better education.
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Trends | Perspectives
Highlights
Trends
Jump to: Dog Bites 2015-2020 (US)
Dog Bites 2015-2020 (US)
External link:
Plana NM, Kalmar CL, Cheung L, Swanson JW, Taylor JA. Pediatric Dog Bite Injuries: A 5-Year Nationwide Study and Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Craniofac Surg. 2022;33(5):1436-1440. https://doi.org/10.1097/SCS.0000000000008670
I. Overall Incidence and Trends (2015-2020)
- Annual Increase: The annual incidence of presentation significantly increased by approximately 82 new cases per year.
- Overall Proportion of ED Visits: During the 5-year study period, dog bite injuries accounted for 0.33% of all emergency department (ED) visits at the included hospitals.
- Impact of COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place (April 2020):
- A slight decrease in the total number of pediatric dog bites was observed (total 883) compared to the median of 1029 presentations in April of preceding years.
- In May to September, 2020, the rate of injury nearly tripled as a proportion of ED visits, reaching 0.8% of presenting patients in the ED.
- Seasonal Patterns:
- The incidence of presentation followed a cyclical pattern strongly correlated with seasonal change.
- The highest frequency of injury occurred in the summer months, peaking in July (median 1031 patients).
- The incidence declined in the winter, reaching its lowest point in February (median 704 patients).
- Regional Variation in Seasonality: Less seasonal variance was observed in the South. A greater percentage of dog bites in the winter months were treated in the South compared to the spring/summer, considering regional population density.
II. Patient Demographics
- Age:
- The median patient age was 6.8 years..
- The incidence of injury consistently declined with patient age.
- Infants 0 to 3 years old comprised 28% of the cohort.
- Sex: There was a slight male dominance (55%).
- Race/Ethnicity:
- The most frequent identification was within the White/Non-Hispanic race.
- During the Pandemic (March to September 2020): White/Non-Hispanic patients were more susceptible to injury (49%) compared to other races.
- Household Income:
- The median household income of the children’s families was $43,386.
- A small but statistically significant increase in median household income was observed during the pandemic, reaching $42,621 from March to September 2020).
- Insurance:
- The majority of visits were covered by governmental insurance (51%).
- A smaller portion was paid for by private insurance (38%), self-pay (6%), or other payors (4%).
- Urban vs. Rural: The overwhelming majority of dog bites took place in urban areas (93%).
- Geographic Region:
- Injuries occurred predominantly in the South (41%), followed by the Midwest (26%), the West (24%), and least commonly the Northeast (9%) areas of the US.
- Per-Capita Incidence: The Northeast had the lowest per-capita incidence with 4 per 10,000 children, whereas the Midwest, West, and South had 9, 8, and 8 per 10,000, respectively.
III. Injury Characteristics
- Anatomic Location:
- The most common anatomic location overall was the head/face (62.1%, n = 34,835).
- This was followed by the upper extremity (25.1%, n = 14,086).
- Almost half of patients presented with bites to multiple anatomic regions (45%, n = 25,400), with the head and neck still being most common in these cases.
- Age-Related Location of Injury:
- The majority of toddlers (age < 3 years) had facial injuries (82.5%, n = 9584).
- The majority of teenagers (age 13 years +) had upper extremity injuries (40.9%, n = 2958).
- The relative proportion of dog bites to the face gradually decreased with age.
- The relative proportions of dog bites to the upper extremities and lower extremities gradually increased with age.
- Fractures: Fractures were diagnosed in 1744 patients (2.9%), with:
- 51% in the head and neck region.
- 40% in the upper extremity.
- 5% in the lower extremity.
- 3% in the trunk.
- Operative Intervention:
- Overall, 8.0% (n = 4515) of patients required operative intervention.
- Injuries isolated to the head were significantly more likely to require operative intervention (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.6)
- Isolated injuries to the torso, upper extremity, and lower extremity were significantly less likely to require operative intervention.
- Patients with dog bites to multiple anatomic regions were more likely to require operative intervention.
Research Summary | Back to Top
Perspectives
Jump to: Caregivers’ Perspectives (New Zealand)
Caregivers’ Perspectives in New Zealand
External link:
Natasha Duncan-Sutherland, Mareta Hunt, Michael Shepherd, Bridget Kool, Caregiver perspectives on the value of dogs and their effects on children in private and public spaces, Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Volume 78, 2025, Pages 36-44, ISSN 1558-7878, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2025.01.002
I. Dog Ownership Among Participants
- A large majority (68%) of survey participants were dog owners.
- The primary reason for owning a dog, cited by most dog owners (70%), was that the dog was considered ‘part of whānau’ (family) or for companionship (19%).
- A small percentage of dog owners (10%) reported other reasons for ownership, such as hunting, farming, protection, service, competitions, or to rehome a dog.
| Response % | Total (n=256) | Māori (17.6%; n=45) | Non-Māori (82.4%; n=211) | Owners (68.4%; n=175) | Non-Owners (31.6%; n=81) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very important | 35.9 | 37.8 | 40.3 | 51.4 | 14.8 |
| Somewhat important | 40.0 | 44.5 | 41.7 | 48.1 | |
| Not very important | 22.2 | 13.7 | 6.3 | 34.6 | |
| It is better for children not to have contact with dogs | 0 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 2.5 |
II. Perceived Lack of Child Safety
- Nearly half (48%) of participants in the survey and focus groups described instances where they felt their child’s safety was compromised within private spaces.
- These situations included:
- A child being attacked, bitten, or scratched (26% of these situations).
- A child being knocked over, jumped on, or chased (23% of these situations).
- A child being barked at or experiencing aggressive behavior directed towards them, including infants (26% of these situations).
- The parent or child feeling fear or apprehension around dogs (17% of these situations).
- Aggressive dogs coming onto their property (roaming) (6% of these situations).
- One specific incident described a person being scratched and nearly knocked over while holding a baby.
| Responses % | Always safe | Safe most of the time | Unsafe most of the time | Always unsafe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Public Spaces | 9% | 76% | 14% | <1% |
| In Private Spaces | 38% | 59% | 4% | <1% |
| Local Streets | Beaches | Parks | Dog Parks | Shops | Playgrounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30% | 27% | 17% | 11% | 9% | 6% |
III. Perceived Importance of Education
- A high percentage of survey respondents believed that the education of children (84%) was ‘very important’.
- An even greater percentage of respondents felt that the education of dog owners (93%) was ‘very important’.
- A significant majority of respondents also indicated that the education of caregivers (76%) was ‘very important’.