Dog bite injuries

Abstract

Aims: To describe the extent of the dog bite problem in New Zealand for the period 1989 to 2001.

Methods: Fatalities and cases requiring public-hospital treatment identified from the New Zealand Health Information Service databases.

Results: There was one fatality and 3119 hospitalisations, an average of 240 per year. Those most at risk were males and children under 9 years of age. The incidence rate of dog bites has continued to increase from that reported previously. There has been a increase in recent years but it is difficult to determine whether this is real effect or an artefact of coding.

Conclusions: Dog bite injuries represent a significant public health problem in New Zealand. Ongoing monitoring is required to determine if dog control policies are having the intended effect.