Dog BitesDog BitesWhat difference can we make?What difference can we make?

Paula Boyden BVetMed MRCVSPaula Boyden BVetMed MRCVS

Dogs TrustDogs Trust

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Tiny de KeusterTiny de Keuster

The Human/Animal BondThe Human/Animal Bond

Children and AnimalsChildren and Animals

• Increased empathy Increased empathy

• Higher self-esteemHigher self-esteem

• More friendsMore friends

• Improved learning skillsImproved learning skills

• Better school attendanceBetter school attendance

Health Benefits: Older PeopleHealth Benefits: Older People

Better scores relating to Activities of Daily LivingBetter scores relating to Activities of Daily Living Improved calmness in dementia patientsImproved calmness in dementia patients Increased alertnessIncreased alertness 30-40% reduced risk heart attack, stroke30-40% reduced risk heart attack, stroke Better survival following heart attack or strokeBetter survival following heart attack or stroke 15% fewer GP visits, less time in hospital15% fewer GP visits, less time in hospital Fewer prescriptionsFewer prescriptions

1 in 4 homes in Europe has a 1 in 4 homes in Europe has a dogdog

• 70 million pet owning households in Europe

• Estimated 1 in 3 families with children own a dog

Trauma – Dog BitesTrauma – Dog Bites

• Before we look at what difference we can Before we look at what difference we can make, we need to understand dog bites. make, we need to understand dog bites. When we come across them we hear just When we come across them we hear just one side of the story i.e. the humans and one side of the story i.e. the humans and often decisions, sometimes irreversible often decisions, sometimes irreversible ones, are made whilst in a highly emotive ones, are made whilst in a highly emotive statestate

Consequences for the VictimConsequences for the Victim

• Physical: possible disfigurement / functional Physical: possible disfigurement / functional disabilitydisability

• Medical: ongoing treatment / infection / Medical: ongoing treatment / infection / corrective surgerycorrective surgery

• Psychological: in one study 55% of children Psychological: in one study 55% of children suffered PTD following a bitesuffered PTD following a bite

• Economic: cost of healthcare / loss of Economic: cost of healthcare / loss of earningsearnings

Consequences for the dogConsequences for the dog

RelinquishmentRelinquishment EuthanasiaEuthanasia ’’Vicious breed’Vicious breed’ Intolerance of dogs in societyIntolerance of dogs in society

Consequences - RabiesConsequences - Rabies

• 55,000 human deaths per year55,000 human deaths per year

• Post exposure treatment vs livelihoodPost exposure treatment vs livelihood

Where do Bites Occur?Where do Bites Occur?

• 80% of bites occur in the home80% of bites occur in the home

• 20% in a public place20% in a public place

• Gives an indication of where efforts Gives an indication of where efforts should be focused, although not should be focused, although not exclusivelyexclusively

Who is at Risk?

• ChildrenChildren– Risk of bites as well as severity

– Children are twice as much at risk than other age groups

– Especially young children (<7years)

Dog Bites: Adults

• Adults most often bitten on the hand / armAdults most often bitten on the hand / arm

• Impact e.g. less chance of rabies Impact e.g. less chance of rabies becoming established (closer a bite to the becoming established (closer a bite to the brain / spinal cord the greater the chance brain / spinal cord the greater the chance of contracting disease)of contracting disease)

Dog Bites: Children

• Injuries in children less than 16 years oldInjuries in children less than 16 years old

• Young children more often suffer head, Young children more often suffer head, neck and trunk injuriesneck and trunk injuries– Potentially greater disfigurementPotentially greater disfigurement

Which dogs bite: Bite incidents Which dogs bite: Bite incidents can happen with can happen with anyany dog dog

• In hospital based studies, large type of dogs seem to be overrepresented

• BUT

• A canadian veterinary study based on 3226 dogs concluded : small breeds were responsible for the majority of bites in the home

• So what does this mean: care in intepreting bite data. Would expect popular breeds to be overrepresented but need to gauge against the prevalence of those breeds

• Canadian vet study: does this mean that bite injuries from smaller dogs are less frequently presented at hospital? Are the injuries less severe?

• Equally hospital admisions data: are bites really increasing or are hospital admissions increasing in general?

Aggression is not motivated by Aggression is not motivated by anger or dominance…anger or dominance…

The majority of dogs which bite are The majority of dogs which bite are motivated by motivated by fear fear or or anxietyanxiety

Aversive

painful

BenignAversive

Non-painful

Food, Toys,

Objects

Risk Situations at HomeRisk Situations at Home

A dog can interpret a benign interaction A dog can interpret a benign interaction as a threat as a threat

A child’s A child’s ageage is a significant factor is a significant factor

• Those up to 8 years old are much more Those up to 8 years old are much more likely to be bitten around the facelikely to be bitten around the face

• Why? Facial ProximityWhy? Facial Proximity– It has been shown that young children explore It has been shown that young children explore

novel objects, especially those that are novel objects, especially those that are mobile, with their face.mobile, with their face.

Young children primarily look at a dog’s Young children primarily look at a dog’s face and ignore body posturesface and ignore body postures

Young children misinterpret canine Young children misinterpret canine signallingsignalling

Baring teeth = SmileBaring teeth = Smile

Risk FactorsRisk Factors

• Home > PublicHome > Public

• Children > AdultChildren > Adult

• Children under 8 years > older childrenChildren under 8 years > older children

• (Mis-) Interpreting body language(Mis-) Interpreting body language

• Size of dogSize of dog

• Breed of dogBreed of dog

So what difference can we So what difference can we make?make?

EducationEducation

EducationEducation

EducationEducation

Breeding EnvironmentBreeding Environment

Socialisation and Habituation

•Puppies coming from non-domestic breeding environments , and with lack of social contacts with humans between 3 and 6 months, may have a higher risk to develop aggression towards strangers later in life

Physical HealthPhysical Health

• Pain: Work with behaviourists

• Disease: From a study of 111 dogs who had bitten a child, 50% were suffering from an underlying physical disease

• Drugs: Ensure that all medications are known to both vets and behaviourists

Mental Health

• Health is both physical and mentalHealth is both physical and mental

• In one study, 77% of dogs which had In one study, 77% of dogs which had bitten a child suffered from an anxiety bitten a child suffered from an anxiety disorderdisorder

Education: Education: Training and BehaviourTraining and Behaviour

• Talking here of the 2 legged variety i.e. Talking here of the 2 legged variety i.e. humanshumans

• Do owners know how their dog reacts when he Do owners know how their dog reacts when he feel stressed or threatenedfeel stressed or threatened

• Ref Kendal Shepherd’s ladder of aggressionRef Kendal Shepherd’s ladder of aggression• How does an owner interpret the dog that is How does an owner interpret the dog that is

yawning, blinking or nose licking?yawning, blinking or nose licking?

Aversivepainful

Education: Training and BehaviourEducation: Training and Behaviour

EducationEducation

The Blue DogThe Blue Dog

The Blue DogThe Blue Dog

• Teeth are always visibleTeeth are always visible• There is no such thing as a blue dog so no There is no such thing as a blue dog so no

real life association with any other dogreal life association with any other dog• Target group 3-7 yearsTarget group 3-7 years• Consists of interactive computer animation. Consists of interactive computer animation.

The goal is to develop an app that will have The goal is to develop an app that will have widespread accesswidespread access

The Blue DogThe Blue Dog

• Covers risk situations in the home with a familiar dog– Hugging– Petting, touching– Approaching sleeping dog – Waking dog– Pushing dog from sofa– Chasing dog– Hitting dog– Behaviour around food, bones, toys

The Blue Dog

• Script including risk situations with a pet dog with both safe and unsafe outcomes

• Children learn from the blue dog scenes to make safe choices

• Parental support improves learning

www.thebluedog.org

Preventing Dog Bites Preventing Dog Bites

• Bites in the home, 86% involved interaction Bites in the home, 86% involved interaction between the victim and the dogbetween the victim and the dog

• Bites in a public place: 80% of victims did NOT Bites in a public place: 80% of victims did NOT interact with the doginteract with the dog

• Therefore need to teach children how to behave Therefore need to teach children how to behave around an unknown dogaround an unknown dog– Stand still like a tree, keep arms high and tight to bodyStand still like a tree, keep arms high and tight to body