Gr. Patrick et Km. Orourke, DOG AND CAT BITES - EPIDEMIOLOGIC ANALYSES SUGGEST DIFFERENT PREVENTION STRATEGIES, Public health, 113(3), 1998, pp. 252-257
Objective. To examine the characteristics of reported dog and cat bite
incidents in El Paso, Texas, and their implications for local bite pr
evention programs. Methods. The authors reviewed a random sample of re
ported dog bites and all reported cat bites in El Paso, Texas, in 1995
using existing animal control surveillance data. Results. The majorit
y of cat bites (89.4%) were provoked, with females (57.5%) and adults'
(68.3%) more likely to be victims than males or children. In contrast
, just under half of dog bites (44.6%) were provoked, with males (65.6
%) and children (63%) more likely to be victims than females or adults
. Dogs that had not been vaccinated for rabies were involved in 65% of
dog bites and cats that had not been vaccinated for rabies were invol
ved in 92% of cat bites. Conclusion. Effective bite prevention program
s should address the finding that both restrained and unrestrained dog
s may bite even when unprovoked and that unrestrained cats usually bit
e when provoked.