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Escalator-related injuries in 30 dogs (2007-2014)
Emma-Leigh Pearson1, Megan Whelan1, Kiko Bracker1
1Department of Emergency and Critical Care, Angell Animal Medical Center, Boston, MA, 02130.
Objective:
To describe a population of dogs affected by escalator-related injuries, and to characterize the types of injuries sustained and describe treatment administered.
Design:
Retrospective study from March 2007 to November 2014.
Setting:
Large urban referral and emergency facility.
Animals:
Thirty client-owned dogs presenting with injuries acquired while riding an escalator.
Interventions:
None.
Measurements And Main Results:
All injuries in this study occurred secondary to entrapment of 1 or more paws in the moving parts of an escalator; 39 paws were injured in total. The median body weight of the patients in this study was 4.25 kg, with 73.3% of the patients weighing less than 10 kg. Fifteen patients (50.0%) were treated surgically, the remainder were managed conservatively. Eight patients (26.7%) underwent digit or partial-digit amputation. Of the conservatively managed patients, 10 were treated with bandaging of the wounds. Antimicrobials, opiate analgesics, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were administered in both surgically and conservatively managed patients.
Conclusions:
While uncommon, escalator accidents can result in significant injury to dogs. Measures can be taken to prevent these injuries from occurring, whether through client education, dog training, structural modifications in the escalators themselves, or avoidance of escalators. In the present study, the survival rate of dogs injured on escalators was 100%.
