National Dog Bite Prevention Week is next week, April 12-18.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), there are approximately 90 million dogs in the United States, and 45% of households have at least one dog. In 2023, liability claims for dog bite and dog-related injuries topped $1 billion. Not surprisingly, the states with the highest number of dog bite insurance claims are also the most populous states: New York, California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Georgia and New Jersey. Unfortunately, children are the most common victims of dog bite injuries.
Clearly there is a need to do more to prevent this public health threat. The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center is here to help. In this blogpost, we’ll share tips on preventing and responding to bite injuries.
What Dog Owners Can Do to Prevent Dog Bites
Since children are the most common victims of dog bite injuries, AMC’s Usdan Institute for Animal Health Education has created a resource specifically for children. This infographic gives tips on safe interactions with dogs, advice for parents and lists additional websites on bite prevention.
For older children and adults, the Usdan Pet Health Library has an entry dedicated to bite prevention.
Protecting the Whole Family from Dog Bite Injuries
Everyone in the family is a potential dog bite victim—even other pets! In a prior blogpost, I outlined suggestions for protecting family pets against bite injury.
And while this is National Dog Bite Injury Week, it’s an important reminder that cat bites can be nasty too!
Reading Dog Body Language
One way to avoid dog bite injuries is to learn to read dog body language and avoid interacting with a dog that is nervous, angry or upset. AMC’s Usdan Institute has a useful infographic to help you recognize dog body language and identify situations where a dog may be agitated and more likely to bite.
If Your Dog Bites Someone
If your dog bites someone, it’s natural to feel embarrassed and upset – but you are not alone. For example, President Biden’s dog, Major, was involved in more than one bite incident while President Biden was in the White House.
In the moment, it’s important to stay calm and follow the steps outlined in a prior blogpost on what to do if your dog bites a person.
Dogs and cats are wonderful companions. With just a few simple precautions, we can keep our interactions with them safe and rewarding.