KEY CONSIDERATIONS 1. Bite wounds from companion animals are common in Australia. In addition to physical trauma (tissue damage and infection), they may cause psychological trauma. 2. V eterinarians and general practitioners play a key role in prevention of companion animal bites through education of pet owners on safe interaction with pets (particularly for children). 3. The avoidance of human injury is paramount. In the clinic setting, if in doubt as to the temperament of a patient, chemical or physical restraint aids should be used.
Prompt medical assessment of animal bites is recommended and veterinarians should avoid self-treatment.
References: 1. MacBean, C.E., et al (2007) Animal and human bite injuries in Victoria, 1998–2004. Med J Aust, 186(1), 38-40. 2. Thompson, P.G., (1997) The public health impact of dog attacks in a major Australian city. Med J Aust, 167(3), 129-132. 3. Rajshekar, M., et al (2017) The incidence of public sector hospitalisations due to dog bites in Australia 2001–2013. Aust NZ J Public Health, 41(4), 377-380. 4. Riemer, S., et al (2021) A review of mitigating fear and aggression in dogs and cats in a veterinary setting. Animals , 11(1), 158. 5. Dendle, C., et al (2009) Management of mammalian bites. Aust Fam Physician , 38(11), 868-74. 6. D'Onise, K., et al (2017) Mandatory desexing of dogs: one step in the right direction to reduce the risk of dog bite? A systematic review. Inj Prev , 23, 212-218. 7. Chiam, S.C., et al (2014) Retrospective review of dog bite injuries in children presenting to a South Australian tertiary children’s hospital emergency department. J Paediatr Child Health , 50, 791-794.
8. Abrahamian, F.M., et al (2011) Microbiology of animal bite wound infections. Clin Microbiol Rev, 24(2), 231-46. 9. Talan, D.A., et al (1999) Bacteriologic analysis of infected dog and cat bites. Emergency Medicine Animal Bite Infection Study Group. N Engl J Med, 340(2), 85-92. 10. Butler, T., (2015) Capnocytophaga canimorsus : an emerging cause of sepsis, meningitis, and post-splenectomy infection after dog bites. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis, 34(7), 1271-1280. 11. Ozanne-Smith, J., et al (2001) Dog bite and injury prevention—analysis, critical review, and research agenda. Inj Prev, 7(4), 321-326. 12. Rothe, K., et al (2015) Animal and human bite wounds. Dtsch Arztebl Int , 112(25), 433. 13. Fritschi, L., et al (2006) Injury in Australian veterinarians. Occup Med, 56(3), 199-203. 14. Owczarczak-Garstecka, S.C., et al (2019) Dog bite safety at work: an injury prevention perspective on reported occupational dog bites in the UK. Saf Sci, 118, 595-606.
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Companion Animal Zoonoses Guidelines 40
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