May 17, 2017May 23, 2020
By
Topic Progress:

There are several ways you can help prevent your dog from biting:

  • It is important to always keep physical controlled of your pet or have it properly contained.
  • Properly train your dog to heed commands. Professional training is a worthwhile investment.
  • Avoid play activities that are aggressive in nature or cause over excitement.
  • Socialize your animals from an early age with other people and animals.
  • Do not allow your pet to have unsupervised contact with any children and unfamiliar adults.
  • Know your pets warning bite and scratch signs.

It is important to know some common signs dogs show leading up to a bite, especially important when children are interacting with the dog.  The dog bite prevention site “DogGoneSafe” offers these tips to better understanding your dog’s warning signs:[i]

  • Your dog appears tired, worried, overly alert, or overwhelmed as opposed to calm and relaxed.
  • When approached, especially by a child, the dog gets up and moves away.
  • Your dog turns its head or body away.
  • Your dog looks at you and appears to be in an agitated state.
  • Your dog is showing the whites of its eye.
  • The dog yawns or licks its chops as people or children approach.
  • The dog quickly starts biting, licking, or scratching itself as people or children approach.
  • Your dog does a big “wet dog” shake after being touched, especially by children.

If you see your dog, or any dog for that matter, exhibiting any of these signs, it is time to intervene and move people or children away from the dog.

These are not the only signs dog can exhibit.  Get to know your dog and its unique expressions.  It will help enable you to see warning signs and prevent bites from happening.

With proper control, training, socialization, and supervision, dog bites are preventable.

It’s not only the household dog that bites and causes injury.  Cat bites, and scratch, too!

While more men receive dog bites, more adult women are bitten and scratched by cats.[ii]

Cats display aggression to protect themselves, their kittens, and their territory.  Cats display aggressive attitude differently than dogs.  Cat aggression can often be difficult for owners and people to read.[iii]

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has set out a listing of common cat behaviors that should act as aggression warning signs to people.  If you notice these behaviors in a cat, whether it’s your cat, someone else, or even a feral cat, avoid contact until the behavior subsides.[iv]

A cat may display offensive and aggressive postures such as:[v]

  • A stiff, straight-legged upright stance;
  • Stiffened rear legs, with the rear end raised and the back sloped downward toward the head;
  • Tail is stiff and lowered or held straight down to the ground;
  • Direct stare;
  • Upright ears, with the backs rotated slightly forward;
  • Hackles up, including fur on the tail;
  • Constricted pupils;
  • Directly facing opponent, possibly moving toward him, and
  • Growling, howling or yowling

Overt aggressive cat behavior includes:[vi]

  • Swatting, striking with paws
  • Biting
  • Fighting
  • Growling, shrieking
  • Scratching
  • Rolling onto side or back and exposing all weapons: teeth and claws
  • Attempting to grab your hand and bring it to his mouth to bite it

Remember that cats can bite, and also scratch with ALL FOUR paws!

On average, cat bites are more likely to become infected than dog bites.  And, cat bites often require more prolonged treatment.  An American Society for Surgery of the Hand cat bite study found that people suffering from cate bite and infection spent on average 3.2 days in the hospital.[vii]

As an additional note, it is important to notify animal control in your area if you have been bitten by any animal.  An animal that has bitten a person needs to be properly quarantined, observed, and examined for conditions as such rabies. Also, animals with a history of aggressive or attacking behavior require intervention in order to prevent future bites and attacks from occurring.

If your dog or pet has attacked or bitten a person or another pet, and you have insurance coverage such as homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, it is also important that you follow the claim notification provision set out in your policy’s terms and conditions.

[i]  Dog Gone Safe: www.doggonesafe.com
[ii] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nonfatal dog bite-related injuries treated in hospital emergency departments—United States, 2001. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2003;52(26):605–610.
[iii] www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-behavior-issues/aggression-cats
[iv] www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-behavior-issues/aggression-cats
[v] www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-behavior-issues/aggression-cats
[vi] www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-behavior-issues/aggression-cats
[vii] Carlsen, MD, Brian. Cate Bite Infections of the Hand: Assessment of Morbidity and Predictors of Severe Infection. The Journal of Hand Surgery, 2013.