Does Your Dog Bite?

You might be surprised--or maybe not--to learn that dogs bit to death an average of 19 human beings in the United States every year between 1979 and 2005 inclusive of '79 and '05. You might be further surprised to learn that dogs inflict wounds on humans more than 4 million, yep million, times per year. Although the fatality rate is low, a lot of bites cause permanent scars (physical and emotional), serious infections, and, generally speaking, a bad time for the patient. Almost all of the biting dogs are domestic (not wild) and they are pets (not aimless wanderers in search of a handout), and many of the bitten are owners of the biters. I have a sweet little dog, a Corgi, and he wouldn't bite a flea--okay, maybe a flea--but in some situations could he become a biter? Here are some points to ponder:
__Do not smile at a strange dog. A show of your teeth could be considered aggression.
__A dog holding its head high usually is curious. A dog with its head held low usually means potential danger.
__Never run away. It signals the dog to chase you.
__Speak firmly: "No," or "Go away."
__Do not face a threatening dog and make eye contact. Stand sideways to the dog and watch it peripherally--it's less challenging to the dog.
__Do not extend your hand for a threatening dog to sniff. Despite lots of opposing opinion, it gives the dog something easy to bite.
__Remain still and at least appear calm. Most dogs have short attention spans and will soon lose interest in you.
__If the dog bites, attempt to stay still. Struggling tempts the dog become more vicious. Most dogs, even after delivering a bite, will eventually lose interest and leave the area.

Ibu to the Rescue

A recent study reported in the Annals of Emergency Medicine 2009:54 revealed that children aged 4-18 years who had suffered fractured arms and who were treated with ibuprofen experienced less side-effects (not surprising) and less pain (very surprising) than children--same ages, same injuries--who were treated with acetaminophen and codeine. Who wudda thunk it? The dose of ibuprofen, by the way, was 10 millgrams per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight. It's a bold extrapolation, yes, to say anyone in pain treated with ibu (over-the-counter) will suffer less than if treated with acetaminophen and codeine (prescription)--but it certainly seems worth a try. And out there in the wilds ibuprofen is often our only choice. I will certainly use it with even more confidence than in the past. You can read more about the study and Paul Auerbach's thoughts on it at www.healthline.com/blogs/outdoor_health.