Veterinarians, Pediatricians and Postal Workers Team Up to Reduce Incidence of Dog Bites SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — There are very few public health crises that can truly be cured by public awareness and education ... but dog bites are one of them. There are 4. 7 million people bitten by dogs every year, and this suffering, injury, disability and mortality is completely unnecessary. It's up to people, not dogs, to stop dog bites.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has joined with the United States Post Office (USPS) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in sponsoring Dog Bite Prevention Week, May 18-24th, 2008, to help prevent dog bites. Small children are the most common victims, followed by older people and USPS employees.
"Every year approximately 800,000 Americans receive medical attention for dog bites, and half of these victims are children, so this is a very serious problem," says Dr. Gregory S. Hammer, AVMA president. "About a dozen dog bite victims die every year. What's most important is that dog bites are largely preventable. Through appropriate dog training and education of adults and children, these numbers could be dramatically reduced. That's why Dog Bite Prevention Week is so important, because it brings to attention this preventable medical problem."
"Children are particularly vulnerable to this type of injury because of their smaller size and their inexperience with animals," says Renee R. Jenkins, MD, FAAP, president of the AAP. "Adults should be sure to properly choose and socialize pets, and teach their children how to be safe around dogs—both those they know and those they don't know."
"The Postal ServiceTM continues its tradition of joining forces with the AVMA to call attention to one of the nation's most commonly reported public health problems: dog attacks and bites," says Patrick R. Donahoe, Deputy postmaster General and Chief Operating Officer. "From nips and bites to actual attacks, violent dog behavior continues to pose a serious threat to our employees. Last year, more than 3,000 Postal Service employees were victimized by dogs. We hope that by joining forces we can greatly reduce the risk to our employees."
To help educate the public about dog bites, the AVMA has developed a brochure, "What you should know about dog bite prevention," offering tips on how to avoid being bitten, what dog owners can do to prevent their dogs from biting and how to treat dog bites. For more information on National Dog Bite Prevention Week and to access the brochure online, visit www.avma.org/press/publichealth/dogbite/mediakit.asp.
Important dog bite prevention tips include:
- Pick a dog that is good match for your home. Consult your veterinarian for details about the behavior of different breeds.
- Socialize your pet. Gradually expose your puppy to a variety of people and other animals so it feels at ease in these situations; continue this exposure as your dog gets older.
- Train your dog. Commands can build a bond of obedience and trust between man and dog. Avoid aggressive games like wrestling or tug-of-war with your dog.
- Vaccinate your dog against rabies and other diseases.
- Neuter or spay your dog. These dogs are less likely to bite.
- Teach your child to ask a dog owner for permission before petting any dog.
- Let a strange dog sniff you or your child before touching it, and pet it gently, avoiding the face, head and tail.
- Never bother a dog if it is sleeping, eating or caring for puppies.
- Do not to run past a dog.
- If a dog threatens you, remain calm. Avoid eye contact. Stand still or back away slowly until the dog leaves. If you are knocked down, curl into a ball and protect your face with your arms and fists.
If bitten, request proof of rabies vaccination from the dog owner, get the owner's name and contact information, and contact the dog's veterinarian to check vaccination records. Then immediately consult with your doctor. Clean bite wound with soup and water as soon as possible. If the attack victim is bleeding from a dog bite, immediately take them to a doctor or emergency room.
For more information, please visit the AVMA web site at www.avma.org. For a Dog Bite Prevention Week pod cast, visit the AVMA's Media Library at: http://www.avmamedia.org/detail.asp?sid=64&NAME=Dog_Bite_Prevention_Week
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The AVMA and its more than 76,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of activities dedicated to advancing the science and art of animal, human and public health. Visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org for more information.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical sub specialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.
Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. An independent federal agency, the Postal Service makes deliveries to more than 142 million addresses every day and is the only service provider to deliver to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations but derives its operation revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services.
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