A Forensic and Medical Evaluation of Dog Bites in a Province of Western Turkey

Karbeyaz K., Ayranci U.

JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, vol.59, no.2, pp.505-509, 2014 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 59 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2014
  • Doi Number: 10.1111/1556-4029.12343
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.505-509
  • Keywords: forensic science, dog bites, injury, forensic reports, Turkey, gender, CRANIOCEREBRAL INJURIES, CAT BITES, EMERGENCY, BEHAVIOR, CHILDREN, RABIES
  • Eskisehir Osmangazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The aim was to evaluate the demographic data of dog-bite cases organized from criminal and forensic reports. This study evaluated 328 cases admitted to the Director of Forensic Medicine, Eskisehir, as a result of dog bites between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2010. It was found that those in the age-group of 0-18 were most frequently exposed to dog bites (48.5%). Injuries to the lower extremity, upper extremity, and chest/abdomen/back were more frequent in men (72.6%, 76.4%, and 66.1%, respectively), while injuries to the head/neck/face were more frequent in women (52.3%) (p<0.01). While most of those wounded in the upper extremity, the head/neck/face, and the chest/abdomen/back were in the child age-group, most of those wounded in the lower extremity were in the adult age-group (p<0.001). Teaching children, in particular, how to behave around dogs would be useful in reducing the incidence of bite.