Three Kids A Week In Hospital Over Dog Attacks

[Yonjuro]

Three kids a week in hospital over dog attacks

Christiana Jones, Phoebe Wearne and Natasha Boddy, The West Australian

Updated October 19, 2013, 2:40 am

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/newshome/19457929/three-kids-a-week-in-hospital-over-dog-attacks/

Painful: A WA victim of a dog attack. Picture: Robert Duncan/The West Australian

Three children a week are taken to Princess Margaret Hospital after being bitten by a dog.

The alarming statistic has prompted doctors and lawyers to warn of the physical and psychological toll on kids mauled by pets.

PMH revealed yesterday 172 dog bite-related visits to its emergency department between January 1 and December 31 last year.

Figures show this year is on track for a 7 per cent rise, with 138 similar visits to PMH between January 1 and September 30.

Royal Perth Hospital has treated 184 patients because of dog attacks this year.

Slater & Gordon lawyer Karina Hafford said the effect of dog attacks could be devastating and have an everlasting effect on victims, especially children.

"Attacks can leave hideous facial scarring, especially with children, and sometimes very severe psychological reactions," Ms Hafford said.

She said the nature of dog attack injuries and the bacteria in a dog's mouth increased the risk of infection and sometimes led to limbs being amputated.

Ms Hafford said her firm was visited every month by someone seeking compensation for a dog attack.

Though compensation awards often took into account loss of future earnings for severely injured adults, it was difficult to measure the long-term effect on a child's future.

Paediatrician Jackie Scurlock, who worked at PMH for 34 years before retiring in 2009, said children left with scars - especially on their face - could still feel the effects of the attack later in life.

"People need to realise that dogs are very dangerous," Dr Scurlock said.

Kidsafe WA chief executive Scott Phillips said the number of children attacked by dogs was concerning, with most kids bitten aged under five.

"Always supervise young ones around pets and teach them how to interact with them," he said.

Ms Hafford said owners of dogs behind such attacks were often shocked by their pet's behaviour but unfortunately it was irresponsible dog ownership that often fed the problem.

Strict new dog laws will come into force next month targeting dangerous dogs, irrespective of their breed, and handing down tougher penalties for owners.

Aggressive dogs can be declared dangerous and subjected to public safety measures including wearing a red collar, kept in a childproof yard with warning signs and muzzled when in public.

[Dame Aussie]

Plenty more kids in hospital who have been abused by family members, but hey, dogs are the real problem.

Solution could really not get any simpler.....supervision. Until people understand this, we'll get nowhere.

[trinabean]

Plenty more kids in hospital who have been abused by family members, but hey, dogs are the real problem.

Solution could really not get any simpler.....supervision. Until people understand this, we'll get nowhere.

Yes, a sad, and sobering fact Aussie.

A friend works in the burns unit here in the childrens hospital. Many more kids are admitted for burns than dog bites too. Mostly innocuous accidents ( 2 minute noodles, hot drinks getting knocked over) that could be prevented by supervision too.

[sandgrubber]

Junk statistics. I wish they'd refine a bit. How many of those kids were in for antibiotics and a tetanus shot only, how many needed stitches, how many an overnight stay?

I'd be concerned if a large fraction were serious, but I'll bet these figures include many kids who got nipped playing with a puppy.