TRAUMATIZED: Victims of Dog Bites
A dog bite can be traumatizing because it is difficult to make sense of what is often a random and unprovoked act of violence. You want to stop it, but you don’t know how. By the time it’s over, the damage has already been done.
Not only do dog bites cause physical injury, they also cause psychological wounds such as traumatic memories. These traumatic memories are formed after an experience that causes high levels of emotional arousal and the activation of stress hormones. They overwhelm our coping mechanisms, thus making us incapable of adjusting like we would normally do before the traumatic experience occurred.
According to DogsBite.org:
Nearly all dog bite victims suffer psychological injury, including Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Even with treatment, fear of another attack may never fade. Each time a victim walks down a sidewalk, strolls through a park or visits a dog owner’s home, the trauma returns. Man’s best friend — to the irony and horror of a dog bite victim — is fully integrated into our society. Stories abound, particularly about senior citizens, who are terrified to leave their home after a serious dog attack.
In an article published by Mercury News, Angela Silva talks about her life after a horrific dog attack. In September of 2007, a neighbor’s pit bull suddenly charged into Angela’s garage in Fremont, California as she was cleaning out her car. The dog lunged at her 7-month-old child. In an act of quick thinking, Silva placed her son into a nearby garbage can to protect him and used her left arm as a shield. The pit bull shredded through Silva’s arm before help arrived.
Nearly four months after the attack, Silva told the Mercury News that she has yet to take a walk outside and that she gets “fresh air” by sitting on her porch behind a new wooden fence that her boyfriend built. To further distance herself from the dog’s owner, who lived next door, Silva moved several neighborhoods away. But even in her new home, Silva said she still has a stack of medical bills she is unsure how to pay and continues to have dreams filled with mad, vicious dogs.
A 2004 study found that over half of the victims studied had symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder 2 to 9 months after sustaining a dog bite injury. (Peters, V. et. al. Post-traumatic stress disorder after dog bites in children. J. Pediatrics, 2004, 144, 121-122).
Peter Levine, an expert in the field of healing trauma, names the following symptoms as common ones in the wake of an animal attack:
excessive fear
feeling that the world is a dangerous place
anxiety
sensitivity to sounds or light
difficulty sleeping
difficulty in defending oneself
stuck in a pattern of compulsive attack or rage
stuck in a pattern of running away (difficulty with commitment)
helplessness
frequent re-enactments
Interestingly, we will see dogs that were traumatized acting out the same symptoms. An example would be the Pomeranian in the letter above who after getting bitten by a Siberian Husky, now bites his owners.
I’m not sure if the Pomeranian sustained any injuries. But my advice is, when you are in that kind of situation, the first thing you need to do is check for injuries. If there are injuries, bring your dog to a vet. Otherwise, just shake it off like what dogs do after an intense moment or conflict — they shake it off. This “shake-off” brings the dog back into a calm, normal state of mind. It’s the human equivalent of “dusting off one’s shoulder”, a gesture that signifies you’re moving on and dismissing whatever or whoever’s bothering you like it was nada. Don’t “poor baby” the dog. He doesn’t understand you. All he knows is that he got hurt and his instincts are telling him to fight or flight to survive. Instead, show your dog that you are calm and collected.
Just like humans who have experienced traumatic events, the Pomeranian obviously no longer trusts the environment and fears that the event might occur again. So it is important to avoid exposing the dog to reminders of his traumatic memories. It doesn’t mean you have to stop bringing your dog outside. NO! Continue to walk with your dog. He needs the exposure and socialization more than ever! You just need to learn to choose your battles wisely. You cannot expect the dog to immediately be back to his normal self. So don’t go near unfamiliar dogs that are excited and rambunctious. Just stay at a comfortable distance so your dog will feel safe and secure. Eventually, you decrease the distance and let your dog observe that nothing bad is happening.
Whether the traumatic event happened years ago or just yesterday, you can help your dog to heal and move on. When socializing, pick the ones that are more relaxed. Especially in this case, you need to choose the right friends for your traumatized dog in order not to overwhelm him and deepen his fear. Knowledge of canine body language will definitely help you in gauging your dog’s developments as well as in selecting a “support group” composed of dogs that can help him recover from trauma.
MORE ON DOG BITES:
Settling Disputes in Dog Bite Accidents
www.lestrezapanta.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/settling-disputes-in-dog-bite-accidents
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