Citation

Jacob O. ANZ J. Surg. 2009; 79: A69-A69.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1445-2197.2009.04929_15.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Alice Springs has a high incidence of dog bite injuries with 371 admissions from 2000 to 2007. This excludes the large number of dog bite injuries treated in the emergency department and sent home. The demographic of dog bite victims in Alice Springs are in sharp contrast to the national picture. The victims here are young adults compared to the national statistics where most of the patients are children. National studies have also shown that a large proportion of dog bites are to the hands and face. In this study about 50% of injuries from dog bites were to the lower limbs. The dogs involved are typically mange-ridden, angry, hungry mongrels of town camps. Dogs are much valued by indigenous people and are used for hunting, company and warmth. They are also used to keep the spirits away. Yet they do cause skin disease, diarrhoea, parasitic diseases and injuries.