Epsom and St Helier hospitals have released figures highlighting an increase in patients visiting their accident and emergency (A&E) departments to be treated for dog bites.
In the course of one year, figures show an increase of patients attending A&E following a canine encounter by over a third, up from 244 in 2012 to 325 in 2013. During the first six months of this year, the Trust treated 125 such incidents; an average of more than five times a week.
Dr Ruth Charlton, Joint Medical Director at the Trust, said that despite the rise, she was confident that staff at the hospital had the capacity and capability to treat most animal-related wounds: “Although the vast majority of dogs are very sociable and make great companions, they can be frightening and it can certainly be very distressing to be attacked by one.
“I would like to reassure the public that whether it’s an overly-playful nip from a family pet, to a more serious attack from another animal, our highly competent medical staff have the knowhow and resources to treat our patients,” she said.
One patient who was recently admitted as an emergency following a dog bite resulting in cellulitis, a painful infection of the deeper skin tissues, expressed their views of their hospital treatment on the Trust’s NHS Choices review page:
“The treatment I received was first class, from administration of medication to first class meals. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of health care professionals who attended to me during my stay, I was also amazed at the way the old lady with dementia in the next bed was cared for, with both compassion and gentle humour by the nurses, most especially the lovely night nurses,” the patient wrote.
Dr Charlton added: “As is very often the case, the best advice we can give in dealing with an injury is to do your best to avoid having one in the first instance.
“That said, I would like to add that most dogs are lovely animals and are harmless, sociable creatures. The RSPCA offers a wealth of information about avoiding dog bites, including recognising the signs of aggression or unhappiness in dogs, and some top tips for keeping children safe around them.”