Pawsitively Safe: Tips for Kids and Dogs
Don't Let a Dog Bite Ruin Your Family's Fun
The holidays mean gatherings with friends, families, and their pets. In recent months, Cook Children’s Medical Center - Fort Worth has seen an increase in emergency room visits due to dog bites.
In November, 10 kids were treated for dog bites, and as of December 5, two more cases were reported, according to Sharon Evans, Cook Children’s trauma injury prevention manager. The victims range in age from one to 15 years old with many of the injuries being to the face, neck, and upper body.
“We really don’t know what the increase is due to,” Evans said. “However, for the 12 bites we’ve had, we know that four were “friends’” dogs, four were family dogs, three were relative dogs and one was unknown.”
Last year, eight bites were reported in November and six in December. Evans speculates that the holiday season might be a contributing factor.
“The kids are home more and there may be more chaos in the house which causes the dogs to be on edge,” Evans said.
According to our trauma injury prevention manager, three of the 12 dog bites were from Pit bulls and three from German Shepherds. The remainder were from various breeds.
Data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows dog bite-related deaths have risen from 2016 to 2021. On average, 43 deaths are reported annually. In 2016, 31 deaths were reported, while 2021 saw a total of 81.
Tips to prevent a dog bite:
· Never disturb or pet a dog when they are sleeping, eating, or playing with a toy.
· Try not to make sudden abrupt moves or run around dogs (they like to chase).
If someone is bitten, Evans recommends calling 911 if the bite is severe. If it is a moderate or mild bite, contact your primary care physician or visit an Urgent Care Center.
About Cook Children's Health Care System
Cook Children’s is more than a health care system: we strive to be an extension of your family, growing with your child from their first steps to adulthood. By collaborating to deliver on our Promise—to improve the well-being of every child in our care and our communities, we connect the dots for our patients. Between primary and specialty. Between home and medical home. Between short-term care and long-term health.
Based in Fort Worth, Texas, we’re 9,700+ dedicated team members strong, passionately caring for over 2 million patient encounters each year. Our integrated, not-for-profit organization spans two medical centers (including our state-of-the-art location in Prosper), two surgery centers, a physician network, home health services, and a health plan. It also includes the Child Study Center at Cook Children's, Cook Children's Health Services Inc., and Cook Children's Health Foundation. In 2024, Forbes named Cook Children’s the top health care employer in the U.S., and third on the list of ‘America’s Best Large Employers.’
And our impact extends beyond the borders of Texas. We proudly treat children from virtually every state in the nation and 32 countries. By seeing the world through the eyes of children and their families from all backgrounds, we’re able to shape health care suited to them: connected by kindness, imagination, and respect—with an extra dose of magical wonder.
Discover more at cookchildrens.org.
