we'd be lost without research!!!

[Desi]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20090308/hl ... stinsummer

Dog Bite Risk for Kids Greatest in Summer

SUNDAY, March 8 (HealthDay News) -- Young children are at the greatest risk for dog bites in the summer and are especially vulnerable to severe bites in the head and neck areas, say researchers who analyzed 84 cases of dog bites in children.


It's not clear why children are more likely to suffer dog bite injuries in the summer, but it may be because children spend more time outdoors playing with dogs in warmer months, the researchers suggested. No,really????
Wonder how much that research cost!!!

[kiwani]

It's not clear why children are more likely to suffer dog bite injuries in the summer, but it may be because children spend more time outdoors playing with dogs in warmer months, the researchers suggested. No,really???? Wonder how much that research cost!!!/:)

You left out the part about dogs' irritability in warmer weather and that this particular group was researching bite trends, predictability and prevention strategies. If you read it without emotional bias, the report reads differently.

Thyroid hormones decrease in hot humid weather, as does brain calming serotonin. Both play an important role in modulating aggression in the brain and for boosting positive mood. Unlike humans, dogs have a more difficult time regulating body temperature in hot humid weather. Hypothyroid or borderline hypothyroid dogs, and low serotonin dogs, have a more difficult time inhibiting aggression/inhibiting *bite*. The part of the brain modulating aggression can go 'offline' when serotonin plunges, and that can result in serious bite wounds due to lack of 'inhibition chemistry'.

[Desi]

I thought it was funny,I posted the link so everbody could read the whole story and make up their minds about how serious they wanted to take the whole thing.Will make sure to post plenty of next time I post something that made me laugh

[kiwani]

I thought it was funny,I posted the link so everbody could read the whole story and make up their minds about how serious they wanted to take the whole thing.Will make sure to post plenty of next time I post something that made me laugh

The research you quoted was an hypothesis. If you know what an hypothesis is, you'll know that its language is structured to sound uncertain, questioning, tentative, etc., and the word "may" is used for a reason. The research was published in a head/neck surgery journal and included two recommendations - one being the importance of collecting a full-history of the bite incident for a medical database, and the other being making parents more aware that dog bite incidents increase in hotter weather.

[Laura]

Desi I thought your post was funny and took it in the spirit you meant!