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Severe dog bites in children
T V Brogan1, S L Bratton, M D Dowd
1University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, USA.
Insights
Severe dog bites disproportionately affect young children, often involving familiar large breeds and resulting in head and neck injuries. Close supervision of young children around dogs is crucial to prevent severe outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Trauma
- Veterinary Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Dog bites are a significant cause of injury in children.
- Hospitalization and death from dog bites necessitate understanding risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize children, dogs, and injuries associated with severe dog bites requiring hospitalization or resulting in death.
- To identify typical demographics and injury patterns in pediatric dog bite cases.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of pediatric dog bite cases across three major hospitals.
- Data collected included patient demographics, canine information, hospitalization details, injury severity, procedures, and outcomes.
Main Results:
- Forty cases were reviewed, with most children being boys (60%) and white (87%), median age 50 months.
- Injuries predominantly affected the face, head, and neck (82%), with 30% requiring intensive care.
- Familiar, medium-to-large breed dogs were commonly involved; three deaths occurred.
Conclusions:
- Severe dog bites in children under 5 frequently target the head and neck, often involving familiar large dogs.
- Enhanced supervision of young children around dogs is recommended to mitigate risks of severe injury.
Objective:
We evaluated children less than 16 years of age who had dog bite injuries that resulted in hospitalization or death to determine the typical characteristics of the children, the dogs, and the injuries suffered.
Design:
Retrospective chart review.
Setting:
Three large city hospitals including Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington; Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri; and Mary Bridge Hospital, Tacoma, Washington.
Methods:
Charts were reviewed for patient demographic data and canine data. Hospitalization data included total length of stay, need for intensive care, Injury Severity Score, the nature and extent of the injuries, procedures performed, complications, and outcome.
Results:
Forty cases were reviewed. Most children were boys (60%) and were white (87%). The median age was 50 months. There were three deaths. Most dogs were medium-sized or large breeds and were familiar to the victim. The average hospital stay was 6 days (SD = 5), and 12 (30%) patients required a stay in the intensive care unit. Injuries to the face, head, and neck area were most common (82%). Major surgical procedures included craniotomy, exploration of the neck or abdomen, ocular procedures, and repair of fractures.
Conclusions:
Severe dog bites in children occur most frequently in those younger than 5 years old and involve the head and neck. Large dogs that are familiar to the child are usually involved. Young children should be closely supervised when around any dog.