Identification of Potentially Preventable Traumatic Injury Among Military Working Dogs Deployed During the Global War on Terror

Background: Prevention of deployment-related injury is critical for readiness of US military working dogs (MWDs). This study evaluated deployment-related injuries to determine if they were potentially preventable and identify possible abate-ment strategies. Methods: Data were collected on 195 MWD injury events that occurred between 11 September 2001 and 31 December 2018. Injuries were reviewed by a panel of veterinarians and categorized into groups based on panel consen-sus. The panel also established which interventions could have been effective for mitigating injuries. Multipurpose canine (MPC) and conventional MWD injury event characteristics were compared to identify meaningful differences. Results: Of the 195 injuries, 101 (52%) were classified as preventable or potentially preventable. Most (72%) of the potentially preventable injuries occurred in conventional MWDs, with penetrating injuries (64%) being the most common type of trauma. For the preventable/potentially preventable injuries, the most common preventative intervention identified was handler training (53%) followed by protective equipment (46%). There were differences between MPCs and conventional MWDs for injury prevention category, type of trauma, mechanism of injury, and preventative intervention (all p <.001). Conclusion: The application of a preventable review process to MWD popula-tions may be beneficial in identifying potentially preventable injuries and preventative intervention strategies.