Predictors of reported dog bite injury severity among human, dog, and cat victims in Southern Colorado

Dog bites harm both humans and other animals and can range from punctures to fatal wounds. Understanding the factors that are associated with the severity of these bite injuries, including characteristics of biting dogs and victim characteristics, can help public health officials design targeted interventions to reduce harm from bites. We use data from the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region of 1,116 reported dog bite incidents between 2019 and 2021 to conduct an exploratory analysis of the associations between sex, alteration status, and bite severity, and find that these are not associated with bite severity in our full sample. However, among our human-only victim sample we find that when the biting dog is male the odds of a severe bite injury compared to a moderate increase by 81.5% - though whether the dog is neutered or not is not associated with this outcome. Additionally, we find a nonlinear relationship between the age of victims and bite severity, with younger and older people more likely to be victims of severe dog bites. These findings add nuance to broader research on the incidence of dog bites by explaining some of the factors that account for more severe bites. In terms of policy, guardians, shelters, and others who interact with dogs should be cognizant of the increased risks posed to the young and the elderly when training and advising adoptions.