The effects of the coronavirus pandemic are far-reaching and devastating for many Americans. But this one is surprising.
Doctors at Children’s Hospital Colorado have seen a ‘surge’ of dogs biting children during the COVID-19 pandemic, they said in an article recently published by the Journal of Pediatrics.
The doctors suggested that there could be several causes, because the pandemic has kept millions of Americans at home due to long-distance work or lost jobs.
(iStock)
NAVY VETERAN SAVED BY CHIHUAHUA TO AN END
Dr. Cinnamon Dixon and Dr. Rakesh Mistry, who is also both a faculty member at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, said the children’s day care department for children in Colorado saw nearly three times as many dog cases in the spring of 2020 as it did at the same time last year. .
“It is known that the number of dog bites will increase in the spring and summer months,” Dixon said in a written statement. “However, this year’s rates are striking in emergency department visits due to dog bites.”
The doctors suggested that there could be several causes, because the pandemic has kept millions of Americans at home due to long-distance work or lost jobs. They said that shelter in place may have led to increased exposure of children-dogs, that dogs may pick up on stress felt by their humans and that supervision of children and dogs may slip as adults younger more responsibilities at home.
Adults are less likely than children to be bitten by a dog.
(iStock)
CLICK HERE TO CLICK THE FOX NEWS APP
Children of Colorado is one of the largest pediatric health care systems in the U.S. Dixon believes the trend is likely to happen outside of the hospital and even outside of Colorado.
“Families across the country are living under extreme stress and anxiety during the pandemic, and our dog friends are not immune to the increased fear of their human caregivers,” she said. “Not to mention, parents now have more competing priorities than ever, which may make them less focused on supervising their children when they are with a dog.”
Adults are less likely than children to be bitten by a dog, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most dog bites that affect children happen to a household like any other known dog, and children have more severe injuries than adults in dog bites.
The hospital also said dog owners need to train and socialize their dogs and keep them healthy with regular animal care.
(iStock)
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
To prevent dog bites, Colorado advises children to reach out to children to never pet a dog through a fence or run out of a dog and to never disturb a dog that eats, sleeps or cares for puppies.
The hospital also said dog owners need to train and socialize their dogs and keep them healthy with regular animal care.
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS
