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Background: As the number of households with dogs in the United States has increased, so has the incidence of dog bites. Contemporary analysis of nationwide epidemiological data regarding such injuries is scarce. The purpose of this study is to describe dog bite injury patterns and related surgical interventions with a focus on differences between pediatric and adult age groups.Study Design: This is a retrospective study (2015-2017) using the National Trauma Data Bank. 10 569 patients were included.Results: Of these, 4729 (44.7%) qualified as pediatric (age ≤ 12 years) and 5840 (55.3%) qualified as adults (age ≥ 13 years). Pediatric patients were more frequently admitted with facial injuries (78.1% vs. 29.3%, P < .01) and facial fractures (4.8% vs. 2.5%, P < .01), and had a higher incidence of facial bone surgical procedures (1.3% vs. .5%, P < .01). Adult patients were more frequently admitted with upper extremity injuries (65.8% vs. 21.2%, P < .01) and upper extremity vascular arterial injuries (2.3% vs. .2%, P < .01) with a higher incidence of upper extremity arterial procedures (1.3% vs. .2%, P < .01).Conclusion: This study demonstrates the contrast in injury patterns from dog bite between adults and children. These findings can dictate injury prevention policies and prepare clinicians to treat dog bite victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: No studies using national data have evaluated changes in nonfatal dog bite injuries among children, adolescents, and young adults during the past 2 decades. We examined estimates of annual nonfatal dog bite injuries among persons aged 0-19 treated in US emergency departments (EDs) from 2001 through 2017. Methods: We examined data from the Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System to compare estimates of the annual rates of nonfatal dog bite injuries in EDs among all persons aged 0-19, by age group (0-4, 5-9, 10-14, and 15-19), and by sex. We determined significance by comparing 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and we standardized rate calculations to the year 2000 population. Results: During 2001-2017, an estimated 2 406 109 (95% CI, 2 102 643-2 709 573) persons aged 0-19 were treated in EDs for nonfatal dog bite injuries (age-adjusted rate of 173.1 per 100 000 persons aged 0-19). The estimated number of nonfatal dog bite injuries declined significantly, from 181 090 (95% CI, 158 315-203 864) in 2001 to 118 800 (95% CI, 97 933-139 667) in 2017. The highest rate was among children aged 5-9. Male children, adolescents, and young adults were significantly more likely than female children, adolescents, and young adults to be treated in the ED for nonfatal dog bite injuries, driven by male–female differences in children and adolescents aged 5-14. Conclusions: Although the estimated number of nonfatal dog bite injuries among persons aged 0-19 declined significantly in the past 2 decades, additional regulatory and educational efforts specific to age and sex may lead to further reductions in nonfatal dog bite injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Dog bites are the most common animal bite injuries occurring in the United States. Estimated infection rates range between 15% and 20%. Polymicrobial infections are most common. Capnocytophaga canimorsus (C. canimorsus) is a Gram-negative rod strongly associated with dog bites, and is known to cause life-threatening infection in humans. Objectives: 1) Outline epidemiology of dog bites in the United States; 2) Identify host factors associated with infection, and common pathogens; 3) Discuss microbiology of C. canimorsus; 4) Discuss common clinical manifestations of C. canimorsus infection; 5) Outline treatment options. Case Report: A 42-year-old woman with a remote history of Hodgkin''s lymphoma (treated with irradiation) and thyroid carcinoma, both of which were in remission, presented to the Emergency Department with fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. She was found to be in septic shock. She was aggressively resuscitated and administered broad-spectrum antibiotics. Blood cultures grew C. canimorsus in 2/4 bottles. The patient recalled being bitten by the family dog 48 h before her initial presentation. She made an uneventful recovery. She was felt to be “functionally hyposplenic” due to her prior irradiation. Conclusions: C. canimorsus is a rare pathogen strongly associated with dog bites. By eliciting a history of animal bite, clinicians may be able to alert the laboratory of suspected C. canimorsus infection. Prolonged laboratory incubation times may be necessary as the organism is fastidious. Predisposing conditions include, among others, prior splenectomy and alcoholism. The mortality rate from C. canimorsus sepsis is high, so treatment should be promptly initiated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: There is sparse literature regarding K-9 (legal intervention) dog bites. It was the purpose of this study to analyze the demographics of K-9 dog bites using a national data base., Methods: This was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data from National Electronic Injury Surveillance System - All Injury Program for years 2005-2013. Patients with dog bites were identified and those due to legal intervention were analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed with SUDAAN 11.0.01™ software. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant., Results: There were an estimated 32, 951 K-9 dog bite ED visits, accounting for 1.1% of all ED dog bite visits. The K-9 group was nearly all male (95.0 vs 52.1%) and more commonly Black (42.0 vs 13.0%) compared to the non K-9 group. Bites to the head/neck and upper extremity were less frequent and lower extremity bites more frequent in the K-9 group; K-9 bites more commonly occurred outside the home. Within the K-9 group, the proportion of White patients increased with increasing age and smaller hospital size. Patients seen in small and medium size hospitals were in the middle age ranges, while those in the very young and >64 years of age were only seen at large hospitals. The average annual incidence of K-9 dog bites seen in the ED for US was 2.43 per 100,000 males with no changes over time., Conclusions: In the US, 1.1% of all ED visits for dog bites are due to K-9 intervention with no change in incidence, even though this study spanned the time when it was encouraged to change K-9 intervention; from "find and bite" to "find and bark". The K-9 dog bite patient is nearly always male, more commonly Black, occurred away from home, and has a 3.7% hospital admission rate. Bites to the head/neck are less common compared to the non K-9 dog bite group., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the pattern of adult dog bites presenting to a medium size Canadian city’s Emergency Departments., Methods: All adult (≥16 years) patients presenting to Emergency Departments in our region during a 30-month period (January 2013 to June 2015) were identified. Demographics, injury patterns, and dog-specific characteristics were studied., Results: A total of 475 dog bites were identified. The greatest proportion of dog bites occurred in the summer months (140, 30%). Pit-bull type was the most frequently implicated breed (27%). The majority of patients identified were female (295, 62%). The majority of bites occurred in the hands (264 cases, 56%). Bites occurring in the head and neck accounted for 11% of all injuries. Although 50% of injuries required only washout and dressing, 15 cases (3%) required a complex primary closure. The operating room was utilized in the reconstruction of eight defects (2%). There were four (1%) tendon repairs, one (0.2%) nerve repair, and one injury requiring a skin graft (0.2%). Three patients were admitted to hospital. We identified an overall infection rate of 10%., Conclusions: Dog bites most commonly occurred in the hands and upper extremities, and carried an infection risk of approximately 10%. Large, muscular breeds were the most frequently implicated. The effectiveness of breed-specific legislation remains unclear, but educational programs for dog owners, children, and health care workers may help decrease the number and severity of attacks.