Introduction:

Dog bites in children continue to cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The purpose of our study was to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of these accidents in the paediatric population of our area and to propose preventive strategies to reduce their incidence.

Material and methods:

We conducted a retrospective study of patients that received care for dog bites in a tertiary care hospital over an 8-year period. We collected data on demographic variables, dog breeds, sites of injury, the relationship between the dog and the child, the treatment received and sequelae.

Results:

We identified 236 patients, with a mean age of 7 years. Most attacks occurred in spring or summer. In 76% of cases, the child was acquainted with the dog. Only 10% of attacks involved breeds considered potentially dangerous. Fifty-one percent of injuries were in the head or neck and 40% in the extremities. Antibiotic prophylaxis was prescribed in 90% of cases. Five percent required admission. Cosmetic sequelae were documented in 15% of patients and psychological sequelae in 10%.

Conclusions:

Dog bites continue to be a reason for seeking emergency care in the paediatric population, and they are most frequent in children aged less than 6 years. In most cases, the attacking dog was a family pet of a breed not considered dangerous. The persistence of these incidents calls for the implementation of preventive measures to raise awareness in the population and thus reduce the frequency and severity of these injuries.

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