Trauma and the veterinarian.

The research conducted a survey on American Veterinary Medical Association members in Minnesota and Wisconsin, assessing the frequency and types of injuries sustained from treating animals. The study found that more than half of the respondents had sustained a major injury due to their work, with hand injuries being the most common.

Survey Design and Response

• The researchers designed a questionnaire for members of the American Veterinary Medical Association in Minnesota and Wisconsin to gauge the extent of injuries stemming from their professional engagement with animals.
• A total of 995 respondents participated in the survey, providing data on the nature of their injuries and incidents leading to them.

Frequency and Nature of Injuries

• The study found that 64.6% of veterinarians had experienced a major animal-related injury as part of their career.
• Of this, 17% had required hospitalization within the last year of the questionnaire.
• Hand injuries were most prevalent (52.6% of respondents), followed by injuries to arms (27.6%), and the head (20.8%). However, injuries to the thorax, genitalia, and intra-abdominal viscera were less common.

Medical Intervention Required for Injuries

• Operative procedures were often required to treat these injuries. 35% of the injured veterinarians needed treatment for laceration sutures, 10% for fracture/dislocation reduction, and 5% for dental work.
• In more severe cases, one craniotomy and one carotid artery repair were required.

Injury Causes and Animal Involved

• The mechanism of injury varied broadly among veterinarians. They included animal kicks (35.5%), bites (34%), crush injuries (11.7%), scratches (3.8%), and other causes such as goring and head butting (14.9%).
• Furthermore, the data shows that bovines were responsible for the majority of the injuries (46.5%), followed by dogs (24.2%), and horses (15.2%).

Work Lost and Automobile Accidents

• Injured veterinarians, on average, lost 1.3 days of work in 1986, but throughout their careers, this figure averaged at 8.5 days.
• The research also identified job-related automobile accidents, with veterinarians reportedly driving more than 300 miles per week. Only 56% of the respondents reported adhering to the speed limit, and a substantial 15% reported not wearing seatbelts.

Self-Treatment for Injuries

• The study also highlighted the common tendency among veterinarians to self-treat their injuries, which might have implications for their general health and wellbeing.