The dangers of pets and horses, animal related injuries in the Emergency department
Introduction: Every year patients present to the emergency department due to bites, scratches and falls caused by animals. Although bite and scratch injuries have been described in literature, the exact number of patients that visit the emergency department due to all animal related injuries has nev...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2019-04-01
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Series: | Trauma Case Reports |
Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352644019300135 |
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author | Eva A.K. van Delft Irene Thomassen A.M. (Marthe) Schreuder Nico L. Sosef |
author_facet | Eva A.K. van Delft Irene Thomassen A.M. (Marthe) Schreuder Nico L. Sosef |
author_sort | Eva A.K. van Delft |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Introduction: Every year patients present to the emergency department due to bites, scratches and falls caused by animals. Although bite and scratch injuries have been described in literature, the exact number of patients that visit the emergency department due to all animal related injuries has never been described before. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all emergency department visits throughout a 1-year period was performed from April 2015 until March 2016. Results: 516 Patients were treated at the emergency department because of animal related injuries. Most were female and the median age was 38 years. The animals causing most injuries were horses, followed by dogs and cats. Animal related injuries more often caused fractures (n = 165) or contusions (n = 171) compared to wounds (n = 135). No lethal injuries were recorded. However, three animals did not survive the event. Conclusions: The incidence of animal related injuries is 2.8% and this is probably an underestimation. The injuries have noteworthy origins and have potentially severe physical injury as result. Awareness in the general population on the potential dangers of pets and horses could reduce the number and severity of animal related injuries. Keywords: Trauma, Injury, Animals, Emergency department |
first_indexed | 2024-04-12T19:43:31Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-bda2aea34c6e406b8e6127047869c012 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2352-6440 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-12T19:43:31Z |
publishDate | 2019-04-01 |
publisher | Elsevier |
record_format | Article |
series | Trauma Case Reports |
spelling | doaj.art-bda2aea34c6e406b8e6127047869c0122022-12-22T03:19:01ZengElsevierTrauma Case Reports2352-64402019-04-0120The dangers of pets and horses, animal related injuries in the Emergency departmentEva A.K. van Delft0Irene Thomassen1A.M. (Marthe) Schreuder2Nico L. Sosef3Spaarne Gasthuis, Department of Surgery, Spaarnepoort 1, 2143 TM Hoofddorp, the Netherlands; Corresponding author.Spaarne Gasthuis, Department of Surgery, Spaarnepoort 1, 2143 TM Hoofddorp, the NetherlandsAMC Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Meibergdreef 9, 1105AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Spaarne Gasthuis, Department of Trauma Surgery, Spaarnepoort 1, 2143 TM, Hoofddorp, the NetherlandsIntroduction: Every year patients present to the emergency department due to bites, scratches and falls caused by animals. Although bite and scratch injuries have been described in literature, the exact number of patients that visit the emergency department due to all animal related injuries has never been described before. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all emergency department visits throughout a 1-year period was performed from April 2015 until March 2016. Results: 516 Patients were treated at the emergency department because of animal related injuries. Most were female and the median age was 38 years. The animals causing most injuries were horses, followed by dogs and cats. Animal related injuries more often caused fractures (n = 165) or contusions (n = 171) compared to wounds (n = 135). No lethal injuries were recorded. However, three animals did not survive the event. Conclusions: The incidence of animal related injuries is 2.8% and this is probably an underestimation. The injuries have noteworthy origins and have potentially severe physical injury as result. Awareness in the general population on the potential dangers of pets and horses could reduce the number and severity of animal related injuries. Keywords: Trauma, Injury, Animals, Emergency departmenthttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352644019300135 |
spellingShingle | Eva A.K. van Delft Irene Thomassen A.M. (Marthe) Schreuder Nico L. Sosef The dangers of pets and horses, animal related injuries in the Emergency department Trauma Case Reports |
title | The dangers of pets and horses, animal related injuries in the Emergency department |
title_full | The dangers of pets and horses, animal related injuries in the Emergency department |
title_fullStr | The dangers of pets and horses, animal related injuries in the Emergency department |
title_full_unstemmed | The dangers of pets and horses, animal related injuries in the Emergency department |
title_short | The dangers of pets and horses, animal related injuries in the Emergency department |
title_sort | dangers of pets and horses animal related injuries in the emergency department |
url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352644019300135 |
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