1035 Puppy Pandemic: A Review of Injuries Sustained from Dogs Before and After the UK Lockdowns in a Major Trauma Centre

Abstract

Abstract Aim The COVID-19 pandemic saw a boom in UK pet ownership, dogs in particular, with 3.2 million households acquiring a pet during the lockdown period. While dog bites are well-documented, there is little research on other injuries sustained from dogs. This study aimed to identify and describe the various dog-associated injuries and their management, as well as determine if there was an increase in hospital attendance with dog-associated injuries during the lockdown period. Method A retrospective review of all patients seen by the orthopaedic team at a major trauma centre with dog-related injuries was conducted, comparing attendances between June and September 2019 (‘pre-panemic’) and the same period in 2021 (‘post-pandemic’). Demographics, injuries sustained, mechanism of injury, length of stay and operative management required were among the data analysed. Results There was a 32.7% increase in dog-related injuries between 2019 (n = 49) and 2021 (n = 65), the majority being fractures and lacerations. The most common mechanism of injury was tripping over a dog, followed by falls while walking and bites/scratches. Most injuries occurred in the home, with 71% of patients being the dog owner. Operative management was required in 51% of cases in the 2019 group and 29% in 2021. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is a novel research area, describing all dog-related injuries versus only bites. Fractures were the most common dog-related injury in both groups. This mechanism of injury presents a burden to healthcare in terms of resources. Fragility fractures need to be considered for this mechanism of injury.