Struck by dog, initial encounter

This code signifies an injury sustained when a patient is physically struck by a dog, without the dog biting or scratching. It describes the direct impact of the dog's body against the patient, leading to trauma. This could include being knocked over, run into, or jumped on by a dog.

Use this code when documenting injuries such as contusions, sprains, or fractures resulting from a dog's physical impact, not from a bite or scratch. This applies to incidents where the dog's action of striking the patient is the primary mechanism of injury. It is appropriate for the initial encounter for treatment of such an injury.

• Ensure the documentation clearly states the patient was struck by the dog, not bitten or scratched.
• Always code an external cause code (e.g., W54.0XXA for dog bite, W54.1XXA for struck by dog) in conjunction with the injury code.
• Verify the encounter type (initial, subsequent, sequela) to select the correct 7th character.