Risk of dog bite injury in veterinary practice

Abstract

Risk of dog bite injury in veterinary practice OCCUPATIONAL hazards are numerous in general veterinary practice; these can range from animal-acquired infection to operator musculoskeletal fatigue (Jeyaretnam and Jones 2000). It has been reported that veterinarians encountering work-related injuries outnumber medical GPs by a factor of 2.9 (Nienhaus and others 2005). Bites and scratches from patients are commonly accepted as inevitable injuries that 'come with the territory' of practising as a veterinary professional. It is noteworthy, however, that fewer incidents are seen by more experienced practitioners (Gabel and Gerberich 2002). We report a case of a young veterinary surgeon who was treated by our oral and maxillofacial surgery team following an incident with a Staffordshire bull terrier. The canine patient, which was not muzzled, attacked the vet while undergoing a cardiovascular examination. Due to its position it was able to lunge towards the vet's face to bite off a significant portion of the upper lip. Additionally, several superficial facial lacerations were sustained. The resultant upper lip was technically complex to manage, owing to the degree and site of tissue loss. Future management is likely to involve mucosal grafting to aid lip reconstruction. The vet is likely to remain under the maxillofacial team for follow-up for several months to come. This is not an isolated case of facial trauma experienced by veterinary staff. A similar case has been managed by our team recently which, again, necessitated several months of treatment. We would like to raise awareness among our veterinary colleagues of animal bites and their potentially devastating consequences. In our experience, such incidents can result in profound psychosocial issues such as depression and emotional withdrawal. These cases demonstrate the importance of donning appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in the veterinary surgery. A clear visor acts as a simple yet effective means of facial protection without detracting from eye contact and facial recognition on the part of the veterinary patient. We wonder if a lower threshold for muzzling dogs could be implemented? Comments and opinions regarding PPE in veterinary practice and prevention of animal bites would be welcome.

Emerging and Reemerging Neglected Tropical Diseases: a Review of Key Characteristics, Risk Factors, and the Policy and Innovation Environment

“…Supporting the compatibility of the One Health framework for addressing EReNTDs has been its direct application in infectious disease governance and integrated vector prevention and control strategies. This includes successful vector control interventions in Chad, where restricted application of insecticides to cattle leg extremities was used to address HAT, application of the One Health model for coordination and control efforts for rabies and other canine-related zoonoses, and the importance of One Health and the globalized food supply chain (201,272,(339)(340)(341).…”

Rabies exposures and pre-exposure vaccination practices among individuals with an increased risk of rabies exposure in the United States

“…3,8,14 Although animal bites may result in physical trauma and localized bacterial infection requiring medical attention, they also constitute potential rabies exposures in endemic areas, with nearly 21% of veterinarians reporting contact with an animal suspected to be rabid. 15,16 The ACIP categorizes individuals as having a continuous, frequent, infrequent, or rare risk of exposure to rabies, 17 with animal care workers categorized in the frequent or infrequent category depending on whether rabies is endemic in terrestrial animals in the region where they work. Individuals in the frequent and infrequent exposure risk categories are recommended to receive primary rabies vaccination, and individuals in the frequent exposure risk category are also recommended to undergo routine serologic monitoring for anti-rabies antibodies.…”