1Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, PennVet Working Dog Center, Philadelphia, PA.
2School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2023 Nov 10;262(2):1-8. doi: 10.2460/javma.23.08.0439. Print 2024 Feb 1.
A longitudinal study followed search-and-rescue (SAR) dogs for 15 years to determine the incidence of health events and whether factors of deployment during 9/11, breed, or sex altered the risk of specific events.
150 SAR dogs: 95 dogs deployed to the September 11 terrorist attack sites and 55 SAR dogs not deployed.
Each year, a survey was sent to the handler to collect health information until the dog died or the handler withdrew from the study. The reported health events were then categorized according to the body system affected and etiology. Incidence risk rates, with 95% CIs, were calculated for the most common types of health events. Incidence rate ratios were calculated stratified by deployment status, sex, and breed and significance assessed.
1 or more health event was recorded in 96 of the 150 enrolled dogs. The most affected systems were the musculoskeletal (31%; CI, 24 to 39), integumentary (22%; CI, 15 to 29), and gastrointestinal (20%; CI, 14 to 26). The health events were most commonly reported as inflammatory (45%; CI, 37 to 53) and degenerative (28%; CI, 21 to 35) in nature. There were no significant differences in incidence of health events based on deployment status to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Additionally, there was no significant effect of breed or sex on incidence of health events.
To improve the health and longevity of SAR dogs, disease prevention and management programs should focus on reducing the health problems involving the musculoskeletal system as well as the integumentary and gastrointestinal systems.
对搜救犬进行了长达 15 年的纵向研究，以确定健康事件的发生率，以及部署因素、品种或性别是否会改变特定事件的风险。
150 只搜救犬：95 只犬被部署到 9·11 恐怖袭击现场，55 只搜救犬未被部署。
每年，都会向犬的 handlers 发送一份调查问卷，以收集健康信息，直到犬死亡或 handlers 退出研究。然后根据受影响的身体系统和病因对报告的健康事件进行分类。计算了最常见类型的健康事件的发病率风险率（95%CI）。按部署状态、性别和品种分层计算发病率风险比，并评估其显著性。
150 只入组犬中，有 96 只记录了 1 种或多种健康事件。受影响最严重的系统是肌肉骨骼系统（31%；CI，24 至 39）、皮肤系统（22%；CI，15 至 29）和胃肠道系统（20%；CI，14 至 26）。健康事件最常见的报告类型为炎症（45%；CI，37 至 53）和退行性疾病（28%；CI，21 至 35）。根据是否部署到 2001 年 9 月 11 日的恐怖袭击现场，健康事件的发生率没有显著差异。此外，品种或性别对健康事件的发生率也没有显著影响。
为了提高搜救犬的健康和寿命，疾病预防和管理计划应重点减少涉及肌肉骨骼系统以及皮肤和胃肠道系统的健康问题。
