What is a dog bite? Perceptions of UK dog bite victims

Dog bites are frequently reported in the media, hospital and other official data, and scientific literature. But what exactly constitutes a dog bite? Most dog bites reported through hospital admissions are likely to result in a relatively severe injury, but many more dog bites go unreported. Dog bites are rarely defined and little research has investigated what people mean by "dog bite", especially in light of frequently used language such as "nip" and "play bite". A better understanding of common definitions of dog bites is necessary if they are to be studied effectively. This study aimed to identify bite victim perceptions of what they deemed to be a dog bite, including the influence of factors related to the severity of the incident, and the dog's behavior and supposed intention. UK adult self-reporting dog bite victims (n=484) were surveyed. A range of factors affected whether or not an incident was considered to be a dog bite. For example, there was disagreement regarding whether an event where the dog's teeth only made contact with a person's clothing counted as a bite; consensus on a bite was only reached (81% stated "Yes") if the teeth made skin contact and resulted in bruising, with or without skin puncture. Furthermore, opinions differed according to the perceived intention of the dog, for example, if the bite occurred during play, 45% agreed/strongly agreed and 37% disagreed/strongly disagreed that it would not be considered a bite. By contrast, if a dog did not intend to bite a person, then 41% agreed/strongly agreed and 42% disagreed/strongly disagreed that it would not be called a bite. These findings highlight the need for clear definitions as to what is being studied within research projects, especially when studying common but less serious dog bites. (C) 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.