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Rise in hospital admissions for dog bites
aggressive dog
Over a 10-year period, hospital admissions due to bites or strikes from dogs and other mammals have risen by 76 per cent respectively.
NHS figures "very concerning" - Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

Hospital admissions for injuries caused by dogs and other mammals are continuing to rise, according the the latest NHS figures.

Bites or strikes from dogs accounted for 7,227 admissions between March 2014 and February 2015 - a rise of 6.5 per cent.

Meanwhile admissions due to other mammals (which covers farm animals, horses, foxes, cats and rats) rose by 10.3 per cent.

Over a 10-year period, hospital admissions due to bites or strikes from dogs and other mammals have risen by 76 per cent respectively.

Battersea Dogs and Cats Home said the figures were "very concerning" but could be greatly reduced through better understanding of dogs' habits and body language.

Key figures published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre:
  • Admissions due to dog bites were generally higher in the summer months and lower in winter
  • Children aged 0-9 were most affected, with 1,159 admissions from March 2014 to February 2015
  • Admission rates due to dog bites were two to three times higher in the 10 per cent most deprived areas of the country, than the 10 per cent least deprived areas
  • The most common types of injury caused by dog bites were open wounds to the wrists, hands, forearms and head. Children suffered more injuries to the head than other age groups


Battersea's community engagement manager, Sharon Sealey, said: “A lot of people and especially young children don’t really know how to behave around dogs or how to read a dog’s body language.

"This is why a child should never be left alone with a dog. We know the consequences of this can be serious and sometimes even fatal."

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.