Bites haven't be an unavoidable part of veterinary work

More than 2,300 dog and cat bites were reported across a veterinary network of over 1,000 clinics in the UK and Ireland between January 2024 and October 2025. Veterinary nurses accounted for the largest share of incidents, hands and fingers were by far the most frequently injured body parts, and around four in five bites occurred during normal daytime working hours. The study also suggests that how veterinary teams interpret animal behaviour may influence bite prevention.

The study analysed incident reports from a large veterinary group operating across the UK and Ireland. Overall, 2,420 bite incidents were recorded, of which 2,327 involved dogs or cats. Cats accounted for 1,239 incidents and dogs for 1,088.

Hands and fingers most often injured

The anatomical pattern was particularly clear. Among incidents where the affected body part was recorded, 80.6% of cat bites involved the hands or fingers, compared with 63% of dog bites. Dog bites also involved the arms in 18% of recorded cases.

Most incidents occurred during the busiest part of the working day. Around 78% of cat bites and 80.6% of dog bites occurred between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., with peaks around 10 a.m. and midday.

Veterinary nurses reported most bites

Veterinary nurses accounted for 63.4% of reported cat bites and 53.4% of dog bites. Veterinarians represented 32.8% and 41.6% respectively, while support staff accounted for only a small proportion. Location also differed according to professional role. Veterinarians were bitten more frequently in consultation rooms, while nurses experienced more incidents in preparation and kennel areas.

Overall, around half of bites occurred in the consultation room: 49% for cats and 52.8% for dogs. Preparation areas were the second most frequent location.

"Aggression" may not explain what happened

An interesting part of the study concerned the language used to describe animals involved in bite incidents.

When staff included emotional or behavioural descriptions, "aggressive" was the most frequent term for both cats and dogs. Cats were also described as scared or panicked, while dogs were more often described as nervous or anxious. Labelling an animal as aggressive may describe the outcome rather than the underlying cause. Fear, pain, restraint, unfamiliar environments and accumulated stress can all contribute to biting behaviour.

This distinction matters because treating aggression as a fixed characteristic of the animal could influence handling decisions and potentially increase stress rather than reduce it.

Under-reporting probably remains substantial

The figures almost certainly underestimate the true occupational burden. Previous research within UK veterinary practices estimated that 69 out of every 100 workplace injuries may go unreported. The present study relied on voluntary incident reporting, meaning differences in reporting culture between clinics could strongly influence the observed numbers.

The authors therefore recommend improving incident-reporting systems alongside greater training in animal behaviour, recognition of fear and stress, environmental adaptation and low-stress handling techniques.

Rather than treating bites as an unavoidable part of veterinary work, the data identify specific situations where prevention can be targeted: handling and restraint, busy consultation periods, preparation areas and interactions with animals already showing signs of fear or distress.