For Laws on Animals in
El Dorado County:

See Title 6

By Warren Candler
Supervising Animal Services Officer
July 23, 2009
Why All the Fuss About Dog Bites? [.pdf]

If it seems as though you’ve been hearing a lot about dog bites in El Dorado County lately, you’re right.  This year, we’ve had quite a few. 

In all of the recent cases, Animal Services was looking for the owners of the dogs so that the person bitten didn’t have to go through post-exposure rabies treatments. 

Why the big fuss?  

Because rabies is a very serious issue.  The rabies virus almost always results in death for those who are infected by it unless identified and treated quickly.

The rabies virus invades the brain and central nervous system, killing cells rapidly. The virus lives in the saliva of the infected animal, and is spread when that animal bites another animal or person.

Any time an animal bites a person, and the skin is broken, Animal Services must verify that the animal does not have rabies.  If there is no documentation that the biting animal has a current rabies vaccination, then the person bitten may be advised to get post-exposure rabies treatments within a very short period of time, usually within ten days of the bite. Treatment can be avoided if it is determined that the dog is not rabid.

That’s why finding the owners of dogs that bite is so important.

Post-exposure rabies treatment consists of two parts:  Rabies immune globulin (given on the first day) and a series of five rabies vaccines which are injected directly into the upper arm muscle and given at specific intervals over a 28-day period.  The treatment can be expensive.

Sometimes we are fortunate, and the person who was bitten by a dog is able to get the name, address and phone number of the dog owner.  Our officers can then make contact with the dog owner to verify that the dog is current on its rabies vaccinations.  This is usually a huge relief to the bite victim.

A dog bite, in many ways, is an incident that can be viewed in the same light as a traffic collision, where information should routinely be exchanged. We advise that if a person is bitten, and the owner of the dog is present, to request contact information from the owner and call Animal Services right away.  In addition, bite victims should always seek medical attention, even if the bite is minor. 

Some dog owners may be frightened to come forward for fear that their dog will be impounded.  While it is true that Animal Services usually requires a biting dog to be quarantined for a period of time (a minimum of 10 days and sometimes longer), many dogs are able to be quarantined at the owner’s home, with guidance from Animal Services. 

Every year in El Dorado County, an average of 300-400 people are bitten by dogs.  That is far too many.  Dog owners need to take responsibility for their dogs and do everything they can to prevent injury to their fellow residents and other animals.

Many dog bites in our county involve stray or loose animals. Dog owners need to ensure that their dog is not roaming freely, and that their dog is on leash whenever they leave their property.  This not only protects others, but prevents the dog from being hit by a car, injured or lost.  When walking the dog on leash, the owner should keep a good distance away from other people and animals. 

Many dog bites also occur in the home.  Dogs have a natural instinct to protect their owners or property, and even a friendly dog who has never acted aggressively can suddenly bite.  Guests entering the home and children who reside in the home are often victims of dog bites.  To avoid dog bites in the home, it is best to keep the family dog in a secure location when guests are present and to never leave children, especially small children, alone with a dog. 

In all cases, children should be educated to never run near, approach, pet or touch a dog they are unfamiliar with, or interrupt any dog when it is eating or caring for its puppies.

Dog bites and rabies are issues Animal Services deals with every day. Each year, we find rabid animals in the County, so we know the virus is present in the community and is a very real threat. Rabies is most frequently identified in wild animals such as skunks, bats or fox.  But if your dog or cat is bitten by a rabid animal, they can transmit that virus to you or your family members.

Everyone in the community can help prevent dog bites and the spread of rabies by doing some very basic things:  Maintain control of your dog, keep your pets current on their vaccinations, and contact Animal Services right away if any animal bite occurs.

For more information on how to avoid dog bites, visit Animal Services’ website at www.edcgov.us/animalservices.