Animal Bite Infections Health Article

Parental concerns

Given prompt treatment, most animal bites are not cause for major concern; as has been mentioned, minor bites can be treated at home without a visit to the doctor. Some children bitten by large dogs, however, may become extremely fearful of dogs in general and may require counseling, particularly if the bite was severe or had long-term effects on the child's health. Fear of cats following a bite is much less common. Parents may also need to talk with or comfort their child if it is necessary to give up a family pet that cannot be retrained. In many cases, however, a qualified animal behaviorist can assess the reasons for a pet's biting or other aggressive behavior and suggest appropriate treatments.

See also Cat-scratch disease; Human bite infections; Rabies.

BOOKS

"Central Nervous System Viral Diseases: Rabies (Hydrophobia)." Section 13, Chapter 162 in The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, edited by Mark H. Beers and Robert Berkow. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories, 2002.

Dodman, Nicholas H. If Only They Could Speak: Stories about Pets and Their People. New York: Norton, 2002. Contains several useful appendices about aggression in various dog breeds and a sample assessment form for evaluating a dog's potential for biting.

PERIODICALS

Brook, I. "Microbiology and Management of Human and Animal Bite Wound Infections." Primary Care 30 (March 2003): 25–39.

Downing, N. D., et al. "A Rare and Serious Consequence of a Rat Bite." Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 83 (July 2001): 279–80.

Fooks, A. R., et al. "Risk Factors Associated with Travel to Rabies Endemic Countries." Journal of Applied Microbiology 94, Supplement (2003): 31S–36S.

"Human Rabies: Iowa, 2002." Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 52 (January 24, 2003): 47–8.

Lamps, L. W., and M. A. Scott. "Cat-Scratch Disease: Historic, Clinical, and Pathologic Perspectives." American Journal of Clinical Pathology 121, Supplement (June 2004): S71–S80.

Le Moal, G., et al. "Meningitis Due to Capnocytophaga canimorsus after Receipt of a Dog Bite: Case Report and Review of the Literature." Clinical Infectious Diseases 36 (February 1, 2003): 42–6.

Messenger, S. L., et al. "Emerging Pattern of Rabies Deaths and Increased Viral Infectivity." Emerging Infectious Diseases 9 (February 2003): 151–54.

Ojukwu, I. C., and C. Christy. "Rat-Bite Fever in Children: Case Report and Review." Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases 34 (June 2002): 474–77.

Presutti, R. John. "Prevention and Treatment of Dog Bites." American Family Physician 63 (April 15, 2001): 1567–74.

Sacks, Jeffrey J., et al. "Special Report: Breeds of Dogs Involved in Fatal Human Attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998." Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 217 (September 15, 2000): 836–40.

Weiss, R. A. "Cross-Species Infections." Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology 278 (2003): 47–71.

Zepf, Bill. "Update on Rabies Vaccination in World Travelers." American Family Physician 66 (February 15, 2004): 22.

ORGANIZATIONS

American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM). 555 East Wells Street, Suite 1100, Milwaukee, WI 53202. Web site: <www.aaem.org>.

American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). 1931 North Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173–4360. Web site: <www.avma.org>.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1600 Clifton Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA 30333. Web site: <www.cdc.gov>.

WEB SITES

"Cat and Dog Bites." American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), September 2002. Available online at <www.familydoctor.org/x1827.xml> (accessed November 9, 2004).

Fisher, Donna J. "Rabies." eMedicine, January 29, 2004. Available online at <www.emedicine.com/ped/topic1974.htm> (accessed November 9, 2004).

Friedman, Allan D. "Catscratch Disease." eMedicine, July 17, 2003. Available online at <www.emedicine.com/ped/topic333.htm> (accessed November 9, 2004).

Stump, Jack. "Bites, Animal." eMedicine, August 23, 2004. Available online at <www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic60.htm> (accessed November 9, 2004).

OTHER

National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, Inc. "Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention and Control, 2003." In Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Recommendations and Reports 52, (RR-5) (March 21, 2003): 16.

Julia Barrett Rebecca Frey, PhD