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High car boots may increase dog injury risk
Allowing dogs to jump out of high car boots may increase their risk of injury.

Study measures force on front legs from three different boot heights

Allowing dogs to jump out of big cars with high boots may put undue pressure on their front legs and increase their risk of injury, according to new research.

Although dog owners are required by UK law to restrain their animal when travelling in a vehicle, no legislation exists for safe entry and exit from a car boot or back seat.

To see if different car boot heights are linked to excess pressure loading, researchers organised an experiment where 15 healthy dogs jumped three times. Each jump was from a platform set to a different boot height: 0.55, 0.65 and 0.75 meters.

The team measured the forces involved for each of these jumps and found that the pressure on the dog’s front legs rose significantly as the ‘boot’ height increased. Between the 0.55 and 0.65 metre heights, the pressure increased by just under 13 per cent. With a further 10cm rise in height, this pressure rose by 11 per cent.

The researchers stress that further research is required to investigate the link between this type of pressure and the type of front leg injuries commonly seen in dogs. However, they conclude:

“This study provides the first objective evidence to support the commonplace belief that allowing dogs to repeatedly jump clear from vehicles with high boot compartments may be inadvisable.”

The study, Peak forelimb ground reaction forces experienced by dogs jumping from a simulated car boot, is published in Vet Record. 

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.