Domestic Dog and Cat Bites: Epidemiology and Analysis of 823 Cases over the Last 5 Years

Lee, Kyung Jin; You, Youngkee; Kim, Yong Woo; Lee, Dong Chul; Koh, Sung Hoon; Kim, Jin Soo; Roh, Si Young; Hong, Min Ki

Abstract

BACKGROUND
In response to the increasing incidence of bite injuries along with the growing population of household pets in Korea, this study aims to assess the morbidity of dog and cat bites and to identify factors that influence the duration of treatment and the need for surgical intervention and hospitalization.
METHODS
We conducted a retrospective review of data on patients who were treated at our institution for animal bite injuries. Eight hundred and twenty-three patients over the 5 years from January 2014 to December 2018 were identified for analysis on incidence of animal bites across different variables.
RESULTS
There were no significant differences between dog and cat bites in terms of patients' age, sex, or seasonal distribution of the incidences. However, the majority of bites were from dogs (82.5%). Cat bite injuries were significantly more likely to occur in the upper extremities (P<0.001). The dog group required significantly longer treatment periods than the cat group, regardless of the site of injury (P<0.001). Of the 823 patients, the majority healed with secondary intentions, but 84 required surgical intervention owing to various complications.
CONCLUSION
This study provides a comprehensive overview of the epidemiology of animal bite injuries in Korea. Overall, the upper extremities were more prone to injury than other regions. Dog bites required longer treatment periods and more surgical interventions than cat bites. Also, positive culture growth results and facial bite injuries were predictive factors for surgery. With effective wound management, bite wounds can successfully heal with minimal sequelae.