Monday, June 9, 2008

Boy Bitten By Babysitter's Dog (Florida)
CLAY COUNTY, FL -- A six year old boy from Orange Park is recovering in the hospital after getting bit by the babysitter's dog. Nyesuah Barclay is at Wolfson Children's Hospital with a serious wound to his face. The Clay County Sheriff's Office says the boy was playing with a dog toy when the dog bit him on his face. The injury isn't life threatening. The dog, a young Boxer, belonged to the 16 year old babysitter who immediately called the boy's parents. They took him to the hospital.

One of my uncles is a plastic surgeon. Many of his cases involve children bitten by dogs, often family pets with no history of harmful behavior. Some of these injuries are quite severe, requiring extensive reconstruction. Parents and pet owners should exercise caution whenever young children are around dogs, even friendly ones. Dog bite injuries can be devastating.