By Heather Paul

Dog bites are a dangerous risk faced by people who work with animals as well as dog owners. Veterinarians play an important role in their own safety, the safety of their staff and clients, and the welfare of the pets in their care. While the risk of dog bites is high in veterinary practice^1,2, it is often thought of as an unavoidable aspect of the job.

Dog bites or dog-related injuries are the result of the perfect storm of situation and circumstance. Biting may be directed at either familiar or unfamiliar people of any age as well as other animals. Preventing injuries can only happen if the causes of biting are considered. Pets receiving medical attention at a clinic or being groomed by a professional may be restrained, poked, or prodded during a procedure, triggering a fearful response.

Pain and Fear

Dogs bite in the veterinary hospital because they are afraid or in pain. Dogs who have been in a veterinary setting previously may have developed fear from the experience. Any dog may eventually bite depending on the circumstances, even if other visits have been uneventful.

Think of taking a child to a pediatrician for the first time. Some children are relaxed and calm until they experience the cold end of a stethoscope or the sting of a vaccine. After that first experience, the smell of a doctor’s office or even seeing a person in a white lab coat can cause them to cry out in fear.

Trapped and Helpless

In many veterinary hospitals, the exam room is a small space. Fear can escalate when the pet feels there is no escape. How the owner and professional staff interact or react to the dog can also add to the dog’s apprehension. Coupled with the sounds and smells of the clinic, the dog may be anxious before even getting in to the exam room. Once in the room, the door closes and the owner may tighten the leash or hold the dog tighter, resulting in the dog becoming anxious because she senses a change in how the owner is feeling. Now the dog feels trapped and anxious, triggering the “fight or flight” response.

Sensory Overstimulation

It doesn’t take much for a dog to quickly become overstimulated at a veterinary clinic or grooming facility. Barking dogs, new people, and all of the sights and sounds can trigger a dog to react. And this is just in the waiting room! Once the dog is placed in a small exam room, all of that anxious energy can explode when the first person enters the room, usually a veterinary technician or veterinarian. It is no surprise that dogs may become “defensively aggressive” to the approaching veterinarian or technician.

Reduce the Fear to Prevent the Bite

Understanding how a dog can quickly become anxious or fearful is an important first step. So how do you mitigate the risk of a dog bite? Once the dog is aroused, her ability to learn something new is diminished. Veterinary team members should strive to use handling procedures that emphasize gentle control while allowing the animal to make choices.

1. Read body language. Pay attention to the dog’s body language for signs that she may be fearful, anxious, or ready to bite.
2. Let the dog be last. For dogs who feel confined in the exam room, allow the dog and owner to be the last individuals to enter the examination room.
3. Postpone greeting the patient. Do not rush to greet the patient; instead, give the dog some time to decide about interacting and respect the dog’s space.
4. Approach sideways. Have the owner bring the dog to the center of the room and approach the dog from the side instead of the front.
5. Feed tidbits. Use food liberally throughout the visit to create a positive experience for the dog.
6. Protect the client. Educate the client about safely medicating the dog at home.
7. Keep patients happy. Make every effort to ensure the dog’s visit to the clinic is as positive as possible; allow the pet to learn that visits include delicious food, consistent routine, and gentle handling.

All patients, including those with fear, anxiety, and/or aggression, require gentle and careful handling. Teaching dogs that a veterinary clinic is filled with calm, nonthreatening staff who offer delicious food, consistency in routine, and patience will help reduce stress and the risk of a bite or injury for everyone involved: the dog’s owner, the veterinary staff, and the patient whose welfare is everyone’s goal.

The client communications aspect of this problem is significant as well. Consider the situation from the perspective of the client who thinks of their pet as a family member or even a child.

When a parent takes their (human)child to the doctor, school, or any professional they expect the child to be protected and treated with gentleness and kindness. Imagine taking your son or daughter to get their haircut only to have the stylist have another person hold them down while loud clippers are brought close to their most sensitive body parts, or having a doctor put restraints on your child to give them a vaccine or check their throat if they are sick. It would never happen.

In the same way, when a pet owner takes their dog to a veterinarian or other pet professional they expect their pet to be nurtured just like a human child. They want every experience to be positive, even when the pet is in pain.

Now imagine telling that pet parent that their pet bit someone at the clinic – a vet tech, veterinarian, groomer, or another dog. Is that pet parent going to trust your clinic again, knowing their dog or cat was so scared they bit someone?

National Dog Bite Prevention Week is April 7-13, 2019

The National Dog Bite Prevention Week Coalition is comprised of organizations committed to reducing the number dog bites trough education. Members include State Farm, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), and American Humane.

• State Farm believes that educating dog owners about being responsible will help reduce dog bite injuries. It is also one of the few insurance companies that does not have a breed restriction list and does not exclude homeowner or renter insurance coverage because of the breed of dog owned. The company focuses on educating people and pet professionals about dog body language and safely interacting with dogs by working with two of the most prominent experts in the field of dog training and veterinary medicine, celebrity dog trainer Victoria Stilwell and Fear Free founder Dr. Marty Becker.
• The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates there are approximately 78 million dogs in U.S. homes and each year 4.5 million people are bitten or injured by dogs. “Even the gentlest dog can bite if they are in pain, feel threatened, or are competing for resources such as food or space,” says Dr. John de Jong, AVMA President. “Not only is it important to understand how dogs behave, it is important to understand how a dog may interpret our behavior.” AVMA’s ‘Jimmy the Dog’ video series lets preschoolers look at how a dog might interpret different scenarios.
• American Humane says that dog bites are a double tragedy affecting both people and animals. “A dog bite can have a devastating effect not only on the victim, but on the dog, who may be euthanized,” says Robin Ganzert, PhD, president and CEO of American Humane.
• The Insurance Information Institute reports that insurance companies across the country paid nearly $675 million for dog-related injury and bite claims in 2018. The average amount paid per dog bite claim was $39,017.

References

1. Landercasper J, Cogbill TH, Strutt PJ et al. Trauma and the veterinarian. J Trauma, 1988; 28:1255–1259.
2. Lin, Lesley, Robertson, et al. Injury in Australian veterinarians. OUP Academic, 2006.

This article was reviewed/edited by board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Kenneth Martin and/or veterinary technician specialist in behavior Debbie Martin, LVT.