Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog attacks on dogs and cats in Melbourne in 2018 and their outcomes
By Heyward, Christine L et al.·Published in Preventive veterinary medicine·2022·Animal Emergency Centre, Australia·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Characteristics and outcomes of dog attacks to dogs and cats in Melbourne, Australia: A retrospective study of 459 cases (2018).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at 459 dogs and cats in Melbourne that were brought to emergency vet clinics after being attacked by another dog. The results showed that dogs had a much higher survival rate after these attacks compared to cats, with 91.8% of dogs surviving to go home, while only 46.3% of cats did. Factors like being a cross-bred or neutered dog increased the chances of being attacked, while older dogs seemed to be safer. The costs for treatment were similar for both species, averaging around AU $380 for dogs and AU $360 for cats.
People also search for: dog attack survival rate · cat attacked by dog treatment · emergency vet costs for dog injuries · why do dogs attack other dogs · dog attack statistics Australia
Abstract
Dog-dog and dog-cat attacks can result in severe medical, financial, and emotional injury to pets and owners. The characteristics of dog-dog and dog-cat attack victims, the circumstances surrounding these attacks and the financial burden from veterinary visits is not reported in Australia. Medical records from 459 animals that were presented to the emergency service of four specialty hospitals in Melbourne, Australia in 2018 following a dog attack were assessed via univariate and multivariate methodologies with a retrospective case-control study design. Animals who had been attacked by a dog comprised 2.4% of the overall caseload at these four hospitals. Risk factors identified in dog-dog attack victims for presenting to a veterinary emergency hospital after being attacked were being cross-bred (OR = 1.4, p = 0.014, 95% CI = 1.07-1.84) and neutered (OR = 1.4, p = 0.035, 95% CI = 1.03-2.00). Being aged > 2-7years was protective (OR = 0.70, p = 0.010, CI = 0.48-0.88). Dogs from houses with a lower Socio-economic Indices for Areas score (SIEFA) were more likely to be attacked at home by a known attacker, compared to those from houses with a higher SIEFA score who were more likely to be attacked in public by a dog unknown to them (p = <0.001). Cats who presented following a dog attack had a 46.3% survival to discharge, compared to 91.8% in dogs (p < 0.001). Final cost of treatment for dogs and cats was similar (median AU $380 vs AU $360, respectively). Further research is needed to evaluate the population of dogs and cats attacked by dogs, to inform and direct public education campaigns aimed at reducing their incidence and overall burdens.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35303610/