Posted on 05/01/2006 10:03:24 AM PDT by solosmoke
A toddler will be scarred for life after being attacked by a neighbour's kelpie cross, prompting her plastic surgeon to warn about the unpredictability of dogs, even family pets.
"The family and the child were familiar with the dog and the reason that it's scary is that dogs can behave unpredictably, even a supposedly friendly dog," said Dr Hassall, a member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons.
"The scars left by these injuries are permanent. There's a life-long reminder now that this child's been attacked by a dog.
The toddler's mother was distracted with another one of her children when the dog lunged about 4pm yesterday at their Belrose home, in Sydney's north.
"As far as she knows, the child didn't provoke the dog," Dr Hassall said.
"The mum was completely beside herself. She was feeling guilty. She's stressed. Although she's not at all to blame, she feels that she's somehow let her daughter down."
Dr Hassall said that, although children were particularly vulnerable to such attacks, adults were not immune.
"I've had two adult patients within recent memory who have had part of their lips bitten off," she said.
(Excerpt) Read more at smh.com.au ...
As long as people have dogs and toddlers? Sad, but these things will happen.
Right, but missing two more ingredients. Lack of knowledge and trust of animals.
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