Registering of biting incidents in PetScan

Vets in the Netherlands can now register biting incidents in the registration system PetScan using a special form. This brings together information on these incidents and gives researchers more insight into the numbers and situations of biting incidents. The new module was developed by behavioural experts from the Expertise Centre for Veterinary Genetics of Utrecht University, which calls on veterinarians to contribute to more knowledge on bite incidents with their insights from practice.

Central registration of dog and cat biting incidents

Veterinarians regularly come into contact with animals that are victims of a biting incident in their practice. In PetScan (only available in the Netherlands), it is now possible to register bite incidents in dogs and cats. The entry form in PetScan assumes the victim of the bite incident. Here, the veterinarian can enter what damage the victim has suffered, by which species (and possibly breed) the victim was bitten, if known, whether this was an animal from the owner’s household or the animal’s pack, and whether the biting incident took place inside or outside the owner’s property. This information provides more insight into the origins of biting incidents.

Behaviour module

In addition to the bite incident registration form, PetScan also has the option of registering the behaviour of an animal showing biting behaviour. If a vet consults a dog showing unwanted behaviour or has bitten a person or animal, the vet fills in the behaviour module. There too, in the case of a biting incident, details can be entered about the damage caused by the animal. Incidentally, the researchers asks vets to complete the behaviour module even if the dog has no behavioural problems and shows social behaviour towards people or other dogs. That too is worth mentioning and gives more insight into the behaviour of our dogs and cats.

Prevention

Bite incidents have a great impact on society. Available figures are often limited to serious harm to people seeking medical attention. The number of bite incidents between animals and different species has so far been a matter of conjecture. The information that veterinarians enter in PetScan helps to increase the understanding of the number of biting incidents between animals and may provide guidance for further research to prevent future biting incidents.

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