Dataset Information

Characteristics and Outcomes of Dogs Admitted into Queensland RSPCA Shelters.

ABSTRACT: Over 200,000 stray and surrendered dogs are admitted to shelters and municipal facilities in Australia each year, and approximately 20% are euthanized. Contemporary, comprehensive data on the characteristics and outcomes of dogs entering shelters are required to reduce shelter admissions and euthanasia. However, there are currently limited up-to-date data published on dog admission into shelters. A retrospective single cohort study was conducted to describe the characteristics and outcomes of the dog population entering Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Queensland (RSPCA-QLD) shelters in 2014 (n = 11,967). The majority of dog admissions were strays from the public (24%) or from municipal councils (34%). Just over a quarter of admissions were puppies, 18% of adults (>6 months) were desexed, and the majority of admissions were crossbred dogs (92%). The majority of owner surrenders (86%) were due to human-related reasons. Most dogs were reclaimed (32%) or adopted (43%) and aggression was the most common reason for euthanasia of adult dogs (45%). Low-cost or free desexing and identification programs targeted to areas and breeds contributing to high intake, and increased support services for owners at risk of surrendering their dog, should be trialed to determine their cost effectiveness in reducing shelter admissions and euthanasia.

SUBMITTER: Hemy M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5615298 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Characteristics and Outcomes of Dogs Admitted into Queensland RSPCA Shelters.

Hemy Megan M Rand Jacquie J Morton John J Paterson Mandy M

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI 20170901 9

Over 200,000 stray and surrendered dogs are admitted to shelters and municipal facilities in Australia each year, and approximately 20% are euthanized. Contemporary, comprehensive data on the characteristics and outcomes of dogs entering shelters are required to reduce shelter admissions and euthanasia. However, there are currently limited up-to-date data published on dog admission into shelters. A retrospective single cohort study was conducted to describe the characteristics and outcomes of th ...[more]

PMID: 28862692

Similar Datasets

Project description:BACKGROUND:Homeless shelters are a high-risk setting for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission because of crowding and shared hygiene facilities. OBJECTIVE:To investigate SARS-CoV-2 case counts across several adult and family homeless shelters in a major metropolitan area. DESIGN:Cross-sectional, community-based surveillance study. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04141917). SETTING:14 homeless shelters in King County, Washington. PARTICIPANTS:A total of 1434 study encounters were done in shelter residents and staff, regardless of symptoms. INTERVENTION:Two strategies were used for SARS-CoV-2 testing: routine surveillance and contact tracing ("surge testing") events. MEASUREMENTS:The primary outcome measure was test positivity rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection at shelters, determined by dividing the number of positive cases by the total number of participant encounters, regardless of symptoms. Sociodemographic, clinical, and virologic variables were assessed as correlates of viral positivity. RESULTS:Among 1434 encounters, 29 (2% [95% CI, 1.4% to 2.9%]) cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were detected across 5 shelters. Most (n = 21 [72.4%]) were detected during surge testing events rather than routine surveillance, and most (n = 21 [72.4% {CI, 52.8% to 87.3%}]) were asymptomatic at the time of sample collection. Persons who were positive for SARS-CoV-2 were more frequently aged 60 years or older than those without SARS-CoV-2 (44.8% vs. 15.9%). Eighty-six percent of persons with positive test results slept in a communal space rather than in a private or shared room. LIMITATION:Selection bias due to voluntary participation and a relatively small case count. CONCLUSION:Active surveillance and surge testing were used to detect multiple cases of asymptomatic and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in homeless shelters. The findings suggest an unmet need for routine viral testing outside of clinical settings for homeless populations. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE:Gates Ventures.

Project description:ImportancePrognostication following ICU admission can often be determined based on known risk factors, including demographics and illness severity; however, little is known about outcomes of patients deemed to be "low-risk" at the time of hospital admission who subsequently are admitted to the ICU.ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to determine the characteristics, outcomes, and costs for patients requiring ICU admission despite having lower predicted mortality when they were admitted to the hospital.Design setting and participantsIn this historical cohort study, we used a prospectively maintained ICU registry that included all ICU admissions to The Ottawa Hospital for patients 18 years or older from January 2011 to December 2016. We classified patients as low-risk using the Hospital-patient 1-year Mortality Risk at admission score, a hospital admission score validated to predict 1-year mortality.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcome was inhospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included adverse events, resource utilization, and costs.ResultsOf the 17,173 total ICU patients, 3,445 (20.1%) were classified as low-risk at hospital admission. Low-risk patients were younger (48.7 vs 67.5 yr; p < 0.001) and had a lower Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score (2.37 vs 4.14; p < 0.001). Mortality for low-risk patients was significantly lower than for non-low-risk patients (4.1% vs 25.4%; p < 0.001). For low-risk patients, multivariable logistic regression showed mortality was independently associated with older age (odds ratio, 1.02 per 1 yr; 95% CI, 1.00-1.03 per 1 yr), Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score (odds ratio, 1.42 per 1 point; 95% CI, 1.31-1.54 per 1 point), fluid management adverse events (odds ratio, 2.84; 95% CI, 1.29-6.25), hospital-acquired infections (odds ratio, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.02-2.51), and mechanical ventilation (odds ratio, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.20-3.26).Conclusions and relevanceDespite their robust premorbid status, low-risk patients admitted to the ICU had significant inhospital mortality. Fluid management adverse events, hospital-associated infections, multiple organ dysfunction, and mechanical ventilation are important prognostic factors for low-risk patients.

Project description:Adult patients with cancer have a greater likelihood of developing severe illness and death from coronavirus disease 2019 compared with patients without cancer. We sought to characterize the clinical characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and were admitted to the ICU at the peak of the first wave of the pandemic in the United States.DesignA single-center retrospective cohort study.SettingTwo medical-surgical ICUs of a tertiary-care cancer center.Patients/subjectsAll consecutive adult patients (≥ 18 yr) with current or past (< 2 yr) diagnosis of cancer who were admitted to the ICU with coronavirus disease 2019 between March 1, and June 30, 2020.InterventionsNone.Measurements and main resultsDemographic, clinical, and laboratory data of 89 critically ill cancer patients were extracted from electronic medical records. Median age was 65 years (interquartile range, 57-70 yr), 66% were White, and 58% male. Approximately a third of patients had three or more comorbidities. Fifty-one patients (57%) had solid tumors, and 38 (42%) had hematologic malignancies. Sixty-one patients (69%) received cancer-directed therapy within the previous 90 days. Sixty patients (67%) required mechanical ventilation, 56% required prone positioning, 28% underwent tracheostomy, and 71% required vasopressors. Hospital mortality was 45% (40/89). Among those who required mechanical ventilation, mortality was 53% (32/60). Hospital mortality was significantly higher among patients with hematologic malignancies, higher severity of illness and organ failure scores, need for invasive mechanical ventilation and vasopressor therapy, lower hemoglobin and platelet count, and higher d-dimer levels at ICU admission. ICU and hospital length of stay were 10 and 26 days, respectively. At 9-month follow-up, the mortality rate was 54% (48/89).ConclusionsWe report the largest case series and intermediate-term follow-up of cancer patients with coronavirus disease 2019 who were admitted to the ICU. Hospital mortality was 45%. Intermediate-term outcome after hospital discharge was favorable.

Project description:Dogs are relinquished to animal shelters for animal-related or guardian-related reasons. Understanding what drives relinquishment patterns is essential for informing intervention opportunities to keep animals with their guardians. Whereas, overall reasons for relinquishment in a given shelter system have been well explored, analysis of human and animal predictors of relinquishing for a specific reason has not been previously attempted. We used characteristics of relinquishment including year, population of the relinquishing guardian's region, health status of the dog, breed, age group, weight, and sex to predict reasons for dog relinquishment to British Columbia (BC) Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) shelters across BC between 2008 and 2019 (n = 32,081). Relinquishment trends for puppies and adult dogs were also viewed and described. From 2008-2019, the proportion of dogs relinquished relative to total intake remained consistent (range: 31-35%). Primary reasons reported by guardians were having too many dogs (19%), housing issues (17%), personal issues (15%), financial issues (10%), dog behavior (10%), and guardian health (8%). Over years, an increasing proportion of dogs were relinquished for the reason "too many" (OR = 1.16, 95% CI, 1.10-1.23, p < 0.001) and "behavior" (OR = 1.34, 95% CI, 1.26-1.43, p < 0.001), while a decreasing proportion were relinquished due to financial problems (OR = 0.94, 95% CI, 0.88-1.00, p = 0.047). Being a puppy, mixed breed, small, and from a small or medium population center predicted the reason "too many." Being a senior, Healthy, or from a medium or large population center predicted the reason "housing issues." Being a non-puppy, Healthy dog in a large population center predicted the reason "personal issues." Being a puppy, non-Healthy, female, and from a large population center predicted the reason "financial issues." Being a larger young adult or adult and Healthy predicted the reason "dog behavior." Being an adult or senior small dog from a small population center predicted the reason "guardian health." Particularly promising region-specific intervention opportunities include efforts to prevent too many animals in small population centers, improvement of pet-inclusive housing in large population centers, and providing animal care support in large population centers. Accessible veterinary services, including low-cost or subsidized care, likely benefit dog retention across BC.

Dataset Information

Characteristics and Outcomes of Dogs Admitted into Queensland RSPCA Shelters.

Publications

Characteristics and Outcomes of Dogs Admitted into Queensland RSPCA Shelters.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets