Beware the bite

KUSA - You may not have had this marked on your calendar, but a number of organizations have. This week, May 18-24, is National Dog Bite Prevention Week.

Who cares? The United States Postal Service, for one. Each year more than 3,000 mail carriers get bitten by dogs.

Who else? Doctors. Each year thousands of people end up at their offices or in hospitals because of dog bites. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Veterinary Medical Association have all promoted awareness of this week.

"In most of the dog bite cases we treat, the family was familiar with the dog," said Dr. Susan Larson of Rose Medical Center in Denver.

Larson is an emergency room doctor and director of the hospital's pediatrics department. She says the cases they treat involve all types of breeds, big and small, and that most dog bite victims are children.

"Young children should always be supervised around dogs," she said.

If a child is bitten, it's important to clean the wound thoroughly. If the bite is significant, Larson says a doctor should be consulted. In some cases, a tetanus immunization is needed.

How To Avoid Dog Bites: *Never approach an unfamiliar dog.*Never run from or scream at a dog.*Be "still like a tree" when an unfamiliar dog comes up to you.*If a dog knocks you over, roll into a ball and stay still. *Never let children play with a dog unless supervised by an adult. *Don't look a dog right in the eye. *Don't disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating or caring for puppies. *Don't play with a dog without allowing it to see and sniff you first.

(Source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons)