Retrospective evaluation of elevator-related injuries in dogs (2015-2020): 13 cases

To describe elevator-related injuries in dogs.

Retrospective study, August 2015 to October 2020.

Four urban referral and emergency veterinary facilities.

Thirteen client-owned dogs presenting with injuries sustained while using an elevator.

None.

Thirteen dogs were treated for elevator-related injuries. The mean age of this population was 4.9 ± 4.1 years. Median body weight was 4.3 kg (range = 1.5-32 kg). Dogs in this study were significantly smaller than dogs presenting for all types of trauma during the same study period found in the Veterinary Committee on Trauma registry (VetCOT) (median = 14.5 kg, range = 0.1-141; P = 0.038). There was no difference in age between this study population and dogs presenting for trauma in the VetCOT registry (median = 4.2 years, range = 0.1-26.4, P = 0.7358). Nine dogs sustained a crush injury (69%), and 7 of these dogs received surgical intervention. Four dogs experienced leash entrapment in the elevator doors (31%), and none required surgical intervention. Two of these 4 dogs required inpatient hospital care. No deaths occurred in either group.

Injuries that can be sustained by dogs in an elevator include crush injuries from doors closing on limbs or tails and injury due to leash entrapment in an elevator door. Many elevator-related injuries required surgical intervention, and recovery was often protracted. All dogs survived to hospital discharge in the present study, and none of the injuries in these dogs had serious long-term consequences.