Roscommon records one of the highest incidence of dog bites in the country

One of the highest incidence of dog bites in the country has been recorded in County Roscommon, according to a new study.

The study found that the number of people hospitalised with dog bites has risen by more than 50 per cent in a decade.

The findings emphasise the importance of improving dog control legislation and enforcement and of developing effective policies to reduce risk and protect the public, said the authors of the study, published in the December edition of the Irish Medical Journal, the Irish Times reports.

A total of 3,158 patients needed hospital treatment with a dog bite diagnosis between 2012 and 2021, with the rate of hospitalisation rising by 55 per cent over this time. Roscommon, Louth, and Kerry consistently recorded the highest incidence of dog-bites over the period. Kilkenny, Offaly and Dublin had the lowest.

Three-quarters of cases involved open wounds and 7.3 per cent fractures. Some 751 patients (24 per cent) suffered a facial wound.

According to the Irish Times report the age at which people were hospitalised for dog bites increased over the decade, from 29.1 years to 35.2 years. Men and women were equally affected.