Dog Bite Prevention Week May 20th-26th
Dog Bite Prevention Week May 20th-26th
May 20-26 is Dog bite Prevention Week. Dog bites are a public health issue, every year in the United States, more than 4 million bites occur. Children under the age of 14 are the most common to be bitten, however, adults can also be victims. Almost one half of all dog bites involve an animal owned by the victim’s family or neighbors.
The following link has excellent advise in helping prevent dog bites:
http://www.healthypet.com/PetCare/PetCareArticle.aspx?title=Dog_Bite_Safety
It is important to everybody to follow general guidelines about how to interact with a dog, however, this does not guarantee complete safety. Therefore, kids playing with any dog should always be supervised.
To help your own dog become more socialized, train you dog to greet strangers gently without jumping and biting excitedly. Vaccination status is of huge importance for public safety. A current rabies vaccination status is a must.
What should you do if your dog bites somebody? Be honest, tell them your name, address, and provide them with a copy of you proof of rabies vaccination certificate. By providing this information, the victim could have a much easier and more comfortable treatment plan for the bite wound. By providing proper documentation, the victim will have peace of mind and may prevent them from needing rabies prevention treament (not fun!). For all parents reading our blog, the Amercian Academy of Pediatrics has a guide on dog safety for parents to help their children interact in a fun healthy environment with their dog.
At McPherson Veterinary Clinic, we enjoy children in our clinic, it provides everybody a smile and appreciation of how powerful the human-animal bond can be in our lives.
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- McPherson Veterinary Clinic
