Dog bite studies ::

A collection of recent retrospective medical studies examining dog bite injuries in level 1 trauma centers, national nonfatal and fatal dog bite injury studies and breed-specific law studies.

October 2016

Special Report:

Level 1 Trauma Center Dog Bite Studies in All U.S. Geographical Regions Report Pit Bulls Highest Prevalence (2009 to 2016)
A review of 11 retrospective dog bite studies from U.S. level 1 trauma centers. In the majority of them, pit bulls inflicted a higher prevalence and severity of injuries than all other dog breeds.

Level 1 trauma center studies

October 2017
An Algorithmic Approach to Operative Management of Complex Pediatric Dog Bites: 3-Year Review of a Level I Regional Referral Pediatric Trauma Hospital
A retrospective review of 108 dog bite victims over a 3-year period from a pediatric level 1 trauma center in the Northeast. Pit bull injuries required operative repair 3 times more than other breeds.

July 2016
Characteristics of 1616 Consecutive Dog Bite Injuries at a Single Institution
A retrospective review of 1616 dog bite victims over a 4-year period from a pediatric level 1 trauma center in the Southeast. Pit bull bites were implicated in half of all surgeries performed.

June 2015
Ocular Trauma From Dog Bites: Characterization, Associations, and Treatment Patterns at a Regional Level I Trauma Center Over 11 Years
A retrospective review of 342 dog bite victims from 2003 to 2013 from Harborview Medical Center, a regional level 1 trauma center in the Northwest. Pit bulls accounted for more than 1 in 4 injuries.

January-February 2015
Dog Bites of the Head and Neck: An Evaluation of a Common Pediatric Trauma and Associated Treatment
A retrospective review of 334 dog bite injuries from a level 1 trauma center in Sacramento. One third of all injuries were caused by pit bull terriers and resulted in the highest rate of consultation.

April 2011
Mortality, Mauling, and Maiming by Vicious Dogs
A retrospective review of 228 dog bite victims from 1994 to 2009 from a regional level 1 trauma center in South Texas. When breed was known (82), pit bulls accounted for 35% of injuries.

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Nonfatal dog bite injury studies

November 2010
Emergency Department Visits and Inpatient Stays Involving Dog Bites, 2008
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality published a study in 2010 showing that the number of Americans hospitalized for dog bite injuries almost doubled over a 15-year period.

July 2003
Nonfatal Dog Bite-Related Injuries Treated in Hospital Emergency Departments - United States, 2001
In 2003, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a study that examines the frequency of dog bite-related injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments.

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Fatal dog bite injury studies

February 28, 2018
2017 U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities and Trends from 13-Year Dog Bite Fatality Data Set (2005 to 2017)
A 2018 report issued by DogsBite.org shows that pit bulls accounted for 74% of all dog bite fatalities during 2017. Over the 13-year period of 2005 to 2017, pit bulls contributed to 66%.

April 22, 2009
Report: U.S. Dog Bite Fatalities January 2006 to December 2008
A 2009 report issued by DogsBite.org shows that 19 dog breeds contributed to 88 deaths in the 3-year period of 2006 to 2008. Pit bulls accounted for 59% followed by rottweilers with 14%.

September 15, 2000
Breeds of Dogs Involved in Fatal Human Attacks in the United States Between 1979 and 1998
A 2000 report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)1 reviewed a 20-year period to determine the types of dog breeds most responsible for U.S. dog bite fatalities.

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Breed-specific law studies

June 30, 2012
Effectiveness of Breed-Specific Legislation in Decreasing the Incidence of Dog-Bite Injury Hospitalisations in People in the Canadian Province of Manitoba
A study analyzing dog bite injury hospitalizations over a 23-year period (1984 to 2006) in Manitoba showed a significant reduction at the provincial level after implementing breed-specific laws.

December 2010
Decline in Hospitalisations Due to Dog Bite Injuries in Catalonia, 1997–2008. An Effect of Government Regulation?
A study analyzing hospitalizations for dog bite injuries over a 12-year period in Catalonia, Spain after changes in legal regulations, including breed-specific regulations, showed a 38% decrease.

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  1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have no recent dog bite fatality data by breed. Learn more: Nonprofits Urge CDC to Resume Tracking Richer Data Set for Children and Adults Disfigured, Maimed and Killed by Dogs.