The number of dog bites that result in hospital care has almost doubled in the past 18 years.

In 1993, 5,100 people sought medical care after suffering from a dog bite. According to a report conducted by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, that number had increased to 9,500 in 2008. That averages out to over 850 individuals seeking treatment for dog bite injuries every day. Approximately 40 percent of the dog bite incidents reported involved injuries to children.

The average hospital costs for a patient receiving treatment for a dog bite injury was $18,200. This is twice the cost for other injury-related hospital stays.

The study did not give researchers any indication as to why dog bite injuries are on the rise. However, they did discover that, in most cases, the injuries are caused by dogs owned by family members or neighbors.

National Animal Control Association member, Nancy Hill, says that most people believe attackers are stray dogs running around. While that is sometimes the case, it is much more common for the dog bite injury to come from an owned dog.

In 2007, veterinary behaviorist Dr. Ilana Reisner conducted a study of more than 100 medical records involving a dog biting a child. Reisner found that most of these children were bitten by dogs that had no history of biting. These incidents generally occurred in "nice interactions," where the child was hugging or kissing a dog that they were familiar with.

While the ultimate legal responsibility for dog bites typically lies with the dog owners who are responsible for injuries inflicted by their animals, parents help their children avoid injuries. Children should be taught how to maintain their safety around dogs as early as possible and to recognize the signs that a dog may be becoming aggressive, including growls and barks.

Source: BusinessWeek, "Rise in Dog Bites Has Experts Concerned," Maryann Mott, 2/18/2011