To everything, there is a season; and if there were a season for dog bites, it would be summer. The incidence begins to increase in March, as the days get longer and warmer and people and their pets spend more time outdoors. And while anyone, regardless of age, gender or race, could become a dog bite victim in the summer, a recent study found the risk is greatest for young children.

The study, an analysis of 84 cases of dog bites in children, also found that young children are especially vulnerable to severe bites in the head and neck areas, likely due to their short stature. The most common sites of bites to the head and neck were the cheeks (34 percent), lips (21 percent), and nose and ears (both 8 percent). More than half of the children (64 percent) suffered dog bite wounds in multiple locations, and the average wound size was 7.15 centimeters. Twenty-seven percent of dog bite injuries were caused by family pets. Pit bulls were the breed most commonly involved in attacks.

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