Jasmine Dhillon1,2, Jessica Hoopes3, Tasha Epp4. 1. Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada. 2. Animal Health Science Directorate, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 1400 Merivale Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0Y9, Canada. 3. SPCA Fiji Islands, 155 Foster Rd, Walu Bay, Suva, Fiji. 4. Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada. tasha.epp@usask.ca.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: There has been considerable literature published focusing on various sequelae to dog bites over the last three decades. Much of the literature has focused on rabies, particularly canine rabies variant, which accounts for the majority of rabies deaths worldwide. This paper describes the complications, the pathogens, and other sequelae resulting from dog bites documented in the literature. METHODS: This paper used evidence found through a scoping review which charted the published peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed gray literature and online information relating to dog bite incidents. Each complication or sequela was additionally assessed from the viewpoint of Canadian Indigenous, rural, and geographically remote communities, which experience a high number of dog bite incidents annually. SYNTHESIS: Peer-reviewed literature (N = 693; case report, original research, and review articles) provided detailed information on specific pathogens, infections, and diseases of interest, especially rabies. However, in addition to these, the sequelae from dog bites may include moderate to severe injuries that further result in anxiety around dogs or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). CONCLUSIONS: While a lot of focus in the literature is on rabies as a sequela to dog bites, the impacts of anxiety and PTSD are not as well articulated. Treatment of dog bite injuries may be standardized; however, improved collaborations between diverse health professionals (physicians, veterinarians, counseling services, animal behaviourists, and others) could be of considerable benefit in decreasing the effects of dog bites.
OBJECTIVES: There has been considerable literature published focusing on various sequelae to dog bites over the last three decades. Much of the literature has focused on rabies, particularly canine rabies variant, which accounts for the majority of rabies deaths worldwide. This paper describes the complications, the pathogens, and other sequelae resulting from dog bites documented in the literature. METHODS: This paper used evidence found through a scoping review which charted the published peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed gray literature and online information relating to dog bite incidents. Each complication or sequela was additionally assessed from the viewpoint of Canadian Indigenous, rural, and geographically remote communities, which experience a high number of dog bite incidents annually. SYNTHESIS: Peer-reviewed literature (N = 693; case report, original research, and review articles) provided detailed information on specific pathogens, infections, and diseases of interest, especially rabies. However, in addition to these, the sequelae from dog bites may include moderate to severe injuries that further result in anxiety around dogs or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). CONCLUSIONS: While a lot of focus in the literature is on rabies as a sequela to dog bites, the impacts of anxiety and PTSD are not as well articulated. Treatment of dog bite injuries may be standardized; however, improved collaborations between diverse health professionals (physicians, veterinarians, counseling services, animal behaviourists, and others) could be of considerable benefit in decreasing the effects of dog bites.
Authors: J Zinsstag; S Dürr; M A Penny; R Mindekem; F Roth; S Menendez Gonzalez; S Naissengar; J Hattendorf Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2009-08-17 Impact factor: 11.205