{"title":"Most dogs transported to a veterinary teaching hospital are unrestrained during vehicular travel.","authors":"Connor Steinolfson, Adesola Odunayo, Zenithson Ng, Amy Stone, Cullen Domaracki, Wendy Mandese, Julia Wuerz, Francesca Griffin, Jay Schaub, Jenna Rooks, Chika Okafor","doi":"10.2460/ajvr.26.05.0206","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate the frequency and type of vehicular restraint use in dogs transported to a veterinary teaching hospital and to identify factors associated with restraint use.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This prospective, survey-based study was conducted at a veterinary teaching hospital from May 28 to August 2, 2024. Dog owners presenting their dog for emergency, sick, or wellness visits completed a questionnaire regarding transportation practices, including restraint use, type of restraint, travel duration, anxiety level, and administration of previsit pharmaceuticals. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess associations between patient and transport variables and restraint use.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 195 of 533 (36.6%) dogs were transported using a restraint system, whereas 338 of 533 (63.4%) were unrestrained. The most common restraint type was a seat belt-based device. Each 1-kg increase in body weight was associated with a 3.3% decrease in the odds of restraint use (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95 to 0.98). Administration of previsit pharmaceuticals (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.02 to 3.01) and having pet insurance (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.01 to 2.34) were associated with restraint use. Age, reason for visit, travel duration, anxiety level, and mode of transportation were not associated with restraint use.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Most dogs in this population traveled unrestrained during vehicular transport. Restraint use was not associated with visit type, travel duration, anxiety level, or transportation mode.</p><p><strong>Clinical relevance: </strong>Increased veterinary client education may improve safe transport practices and reduce the risk of injury during vehicular travel.</p>","PeriodicalId":7754,"journal":{"name":"American journal of veterinary research","volume":" ","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"American journal of veterinary research","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.26.05.0206","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"VETERINARY SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the frequency and type of vehicular restraint use in dogs transported to a veterinary teaching hospital and to identify factors associated with restraint use.
Methods: This prospective, survey-based study was conducted at a veterinary teaching hospital from May 28 to August 2, 2024. Dog owners presenting their dog for emergency, sick, or wellness visits completed a questionnaire regarding transportation practices, including restraint use, type of restraint, travel duration, anxiety level, and administration of previsit pharmaceuticals. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess associations between patient and transport variables and restraint use.
Results: A total of 195 of 533 (36.6%) dogs were transported using a restraint system, whereas 338 of 533 (63.4%) were unrestrained. The most common restraint type was a seat belt-based device. Each 1-kg increase in body weight was associated with a 3.3% decrease in the odds of restraint use (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95 to 0.98). Administration of previsit pharmaceuticals (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.02 to 3.01) and having pet insurance (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.01 to 2.34) were associated with restraint use. Age, reason for visit, travel duration, anxiety level, and mode of transportation were not associated with restraint use.
Conclusions: Most dogs in this population traveled unrestrained during vehicular transport. Restraint use was not associated with visit type, travel duration, anxiety level, or transportation mode.
Clinical relevance: Increased veterinary client education may improve safe transport practices and reduce the risk of injury during vehicular travel.
期刊介绍：
The American Journal of Veterinary Research supports the collaborative exchange of information between researchers and clinicians by publishing novel research findings that bridge the gulf between basic research and clinical practice or that help to translate laboratory research and preclinical studies to the development of clinical trials and clinical practice. The journal welcomes submission of high-quality original studies and review articles in a wide range of scientific fields, including anatomy, anesthesiology, animal welfare, behavior, epidemiology, genetics, heredity, infectious disease, molecular biology, oncology, pharmacology, pathogenic mechanisms, physiology, surgery, theriogenology, toxicology, and vaccinology. Species of interest include production animals, companion animals, equids, exotic animals, birds, reptiles, and wild and marine animals. Reports of laboratory animal studies and studies involving the use of animals as experimental models of human diseases are considered only when the study results are of demonstrable benefit to the species used in the research or to another species of veterinary interest. Other fields of interest or animals species are not necessarily excluded from consideration, but such reports must focus on novel research findings. Submitted papers must make an original and substantial contribution to the veterinary medicine knowledge base; preliminary studies are not appropriate.
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