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Fatal Dog Maulings Associated With Infant Swings
Author(s) -
Chu Albert Y.,
Ripple Mary G.,
Allan Carol H.,
Thogmartin Jon R.,
Fowler David R.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2006.00070.x
Subject(s) - medicine , poison control , forensic engineering , injury prevention , medical emergency , suicide prevention , human factors and ergonomics , occupational safety and health , engineering , pathology
We present three cases of fatal dog maulings of infants placed in mobile infant swings, a phenomenon not previously described in the literature. In each case, the victim was left in a mobile swing, unsupervised by an adult, and the attacking dog was a family pet. Case 1 involved an 18‐day‐old male infant attacked by a pit bull; Case 2 involved a 3‐month‐old male infant attacked by a Chow Chow and/or a Dachshund, and Case 3 involved an 18‐day‐old female infant attacked by a Labrador–pit bull mix. These cases not only underscore the importance of not leaving young children unattended in the presence of pet dogs, but also raise the possibility that mobile swings may trigger a predatory response in dogs and thus may represent an additional risk factor for dog attack.