Minor nursing dog bite injuries after being mulled

David Travis, a pupil at Shammah College Junior School in hospital. He was attacked by two dogs. [Mercy Kahenda, Standard]

A five-year-old boy from Mawanga estate Nakuru town is nursing serious injuries in a private hospital after he was mulled by two dogs.

David Travis a pupil at Shammah college Junior school had gone to visit his friends at a neighbor’s house when the dogs attacked him on Saturday at around 8.30am.

According to his father Wilson Nabutola, the dogs had not been locked up as is the norm when they pounced on him leaving him with serious injuries.

“My son had gone to play with his friends in the neighborhood, but dogs at the compound attacked and left him seriously wounded,” said Nabuto.

Travis who is admitted at Impact Health Care and Maternity has serious injuries on his face, buttocks, stomach, back, hands and legs.

When the Standard on Saturday visited him, they found him at pain and could not walk because of multiple wounds he sustained during the early morning attack.

“Though I am happy my son is undergoing treatment, he is in deep pain and cannot even sit because of the wound on her stomach and back,” he siad.

The father said neighbors who heard his son cry for help rushed for his rescue and took him to the private hospital where he is receiving treatment.

Irate locals who flocked the hospital to see the boy said it was not the first time the dogs belonging to a military officer based in Nairobi was attacking individuals in the area.

Miriam Wairimu said in the recent past, they attacked a woman who was walking along the road, and left her with injuries.

In another incident, they also attacked and fed on livestock within the locality.

“This is not the first time the dogs were causing harm to locals, they have in the past attacked livestock and human too,” said the local.

The hospital's in charge Peter Muturi said medics will inject the boy with an anti-rabies vaccine as a preventive measure to contraction of rabies.

Rabies is a diseases caused by bite of dogs and cats by dogs that are not affected. The disease affects the central nervous system and cause inflammation in the brain.

“The patient was brought here with severe multiple injuries, he has however been stabilized. We are still examining him as we wait for anti-rabies drugs,” said the in charge.

Muturi said that the facility has the capacity to handle the degree of injuries and thus there is no need of referring the patient to a high level facility.

Nakuru Public health officer Samuel King’ori asked individuals who rear dogs to ensure they observe public health regulations to prevent them from causing harm.

“Individuals who own dogs should ensure they are well locked up, to avoid incidences of causing harm,” said King’ori.

King'ori said dog owners should regularly vaccinate their canines to prevent them from transmitting rabies to human beings.