It is a pity we do not make prospective animal owners take a test of competency, and an instructional course before they are allowed to own a dog. Then again, most of us would benefit from the very same preparation before raising children- and we don’t make anyone do that either!
One of the saddest complications from the human-canine relationship is the dog-bite. Especially when the victim is a child.
It is especially sad when we consider that a dog’s misbehavior is often the result of our own misunderstanding or mistreatment of that animal.
We can’t always understand what makes a dog tick (or ticked off), nor can we predict when to get out of harms way. What we can do, however, is learn as much as we can about our own dogs, and teach our children how to remain safe around their own and stranger’s dogs.
It is estimated (and I am certain that the number errs on the low side given our propensity to forgive the trespasses of man’s best friend) that there are 4.5 million dog bites a year according to the CDC, and the American Board of Veterinary Medicine. It appears that 60% of these reported incidents involve children. Of these bites, those requiring medical attention reach 800,000. Dog maulings ending in a human death occur about 16 times a year.
Emergency room visits for dog bite victims which require the help of a plastic surgeon- either because of the location of the bite, or the age of the patient, or the severity of the incident are numbered at 30,000 times a year. Unfortunately, this represents an 8% increase from the previous year (the good news is that this number is down 29% from 9 years ago!).
With numbers like these it is imperative that we take our dog raising skills seriously.
We can certainly put some effort into educating ourselves, and those around us about properly raising our four footed friends, and most of all into teaching our children how to safely and respectfully behave around dogs.
Safety Tips for Dog Owners:
- Seek a veterinarian’s advice about which dog is right for your family and lifestyle.
- Socialize your dog so it feels at ease around people and other animals.
- Don’t put your dog in situations where it may feel threatened.
- Follow leash laws - don’t let your dog roam free.
- Keep your dog healthy; Illness and pain can make a dog more likely to bite.
- Spay/neuter your dog.
- Confine your dog in a fenced yard when not in the house.
- Never tether or chain your dog.
Safety Tips for Adults and Children:
- Never approach an unfamiliar dog.
- If approached by an unfamiliar dog, stand still like a tree.
- Never run from a dog and never scream around a dog.
- If you believe a dog is about to attack you, try to place something between yourself and the dog, such as a backpack or a bicycle.
- If a dog knocks you over, roll into a ball, cover your face and stay still.
- Children should never play with dogs unless supervised by an adult.
- Don’t disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating or caring for puppies.
- Don’t play with a dog without allowing it to see and sniff you first.
- Children should never approach a dog unless supervised by an adult.
- Adults should never leave an infant or young child alone with any dog, not even the family pet.
If Bitten:
- Seek medical attention immediately.
- Control bleeding and wash the area of the bite with soap and water.
- Because serious dog bites can cause scarring, if you are bitten in a location where scarring is of concern, like your face, ask that a board-certified plastic surgeon treat the injury.
- Report the bite to your local public health department, animal control agency or police.
- Provide authorities with an accurate description of the dog, the circumstances surrounding the bite, and the dog owner’s identity, if known.
Please find more information on the site links below. -drB
http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2010/05/20/tips-to-remember-during-dog-bite-prevention-week/#comment-487281
http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2010/05/20/tips-to-remember-during-dog-bite-prevention-week/#comment-487281
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