Dog bites

Child protection and treatment tips
Most children love pets, more so dogs. But although dogs are fun to be with due to their playful nature, they can be dangerous to both children and adults if improperly treated.

Globally, there are 60,000 dog bites occurrences reported annually. It is estimated that Kenya accounts for over 10,000 the incidences, half of which result in fatalities. Most of the dog bites victims are children as their naivety makes them vulnerable to sudden attacks by the canines.

The Kenya Society for the Protection and care of Animals (KSPCA) has found that children are apt to tease dogs or even throw stones at them. This provokes the dog and can lead to aggressive behaviour, especially if the dog is corned and has no escape route.

The occurrences in Kenya are mainly attributed to negligence by dog owners to care for their animals and lack of vaccination. According to the World Veterinary Association, the money spent to treat rabies in human beings can be used to vaccinate 140 animals.

According to Kenya Veterinary Association, dogs tend to wander off when neglected or in search of food. During such times, they are likely to contract rabies from other dogs. Therefore, it is important to vaccinate dogs often to prevent the spread of the disease. Dog owners should feed their animals well to ensure they do not wander looking for food.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), over 55,000 people die every year worldwide due to rabies. Forty percent of those bitten are children below 15 years. Dogs account for 99 percent of human Rabies fatalities. Most of the fatalities—95 per cent—occur in Africa and Asia. Rabies is 100 per cent preventable through vaccination.

A new study done by University Of Colorado School Of Medicine established that the probability of a child getting bitten by a dog is roughly 50 per cent, with 80 per cent of those bites involving the head and neck. Unsupervised children are at a higher risk of being victims of dog bites. Likewise, younger kids, especially three year- olds, were found to be the most common victims.

Like humans, some dogs may be naturally aggressive and unpleasant but most are in fact genetically programmed to be friends with people. This hostile behaviour could be triggered by hunger, fear, teasing or any time a dog’s territory is invaded. According to the study, most dog bites come from breeds regarded “good” with children and most of these dogs are family pets or pets of friends or the extended family. The breeds were rated as follows:

• Mixed breed dogs – 23 per cent.
• Labrador retrievers – 13.7 per cent.
• Rottweiler – 4.9 per cent.
• German shepherds – 4.4 per cent.
• Golden retrievers – 3 per cent.

Preventing dog bites

According to Centre of Disease Control (CDC), children should know the following about dog bites.

1. Don’t approach – avoid going near an unknown dog.
2. Don’t run – avoid running away or towards a dog. This arouses the urge for the dog to chase after you.
3. Stand still – when approached by an unknown dog, stay calm and immobile.
4. Don’t look – when you meet a strange dog, avoid direct eye contact.
5. Don’t pet – avoid touching a dog before it sees you. Give the dog time to familiarise with you through sniffing. If it is a neighbour’s pet, ask first before touching or playing with it.
6. Supervise – stay near children, especially when they are around a pet to prevent accidental bites.
7. Don’t tease – don’t push a dog in a corner or gang around it. This may force it to retaliate out of fear. Avoid bothering a hungry, ill or sleepy dog. Avoid disturbing a dog with young puppies as it may attack to protect its young ones. Consult a veterinary doctor immediately if you have a sick dog.
8. Don’t feed – avoid feeding a dog using bare hands. Instead, put the food in the palm and keep your thumb and fingers closed.
9. Report – inform the authorities of any wandering dogs or those with unusual behaviour towards humans.

Follow these safety tips:

• D: don’t tease.
• O: only pet when permitted.
• G: give space.
• S: slow down.
• A: always get help.
• F: fingers together.
• E: even good dogs bite.

What to do when attacked:

• Shield – if you are attacked by a dog, put distance between yourself and the animal by shielding yourself with an item.
• Cover face – in case you fall to the ground, protect your head or face with your hands, roll into a ball and stay still. Any random movements or noise aggravates the dog thus increasing its instinct to bite.
• Get help – take the child to the doctor immediately and have enough information about the dog breed.
• Know breed – find out if the attack was provoked or was by a stray dog. The child may be infected with rabies which needs to be counteracted speedily.

According to KSPCA, there is a legal obligation for all dogs and cats to be vaccinated against Rabies. It sensitises the public against the dangers of rabies through vaccination campaigns called ‘Spay and Save’. Rabies is a deadly viral disease that is widespread in Kenya. Its main carriers are dogs and cats and it is spread through bite wounds from the saliva of an infected animal. It is 100 per cent preventable and the best solution is through vaccination of pets. The mating season draws scores of male dogs and engage in aggressive fights to get a mate. It is during such dog fights that Rabies is spread from one animal to the other. An infected dog then becomes a danger to other dogs and humans, particularly children.

Signs of Rabies in animals

• Salivation.
• Senseless aggression and biting.
• An irritable and impulsive animal.
• Incapable of swallowing water.
• A shy or scared animal.

Type of Rabies
The dumb form – the animal may be friendly and show no sign of aggression. It is lethargic and does not respond when beckoned. The animal’s lower jaw appears loose, is unable to swallow and drools a lot.

The furious form – the animal is assertive and assaults anything on its path such as other animals, people or items. It also has a loose jaw, drools and cannot swallow anything. Some animals harm themselves by biting their own body.

KSPCA seizes any animal suspected to be infected with rabies. The organisation advises the public to contact it or a veterinary doctor immediately in case they notice Rabies symptoms in an animal. According to KSPCA, one should also seek immediate medical help in case of any animal bite. This is to ensure speedy wound cleansing and immunisation to prevent the initiation of rabies or a fatal outcome.

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