Survey-based analysis of risk factors for injury among dogs participating in agility training and competition events

Abstract

Specific factors were associated with agility-related injuries in dogs. Educational prevention strategies should target at-risk populations in an effort to reduce potential injuries. Future research should focus on the biomechanical factors associated with agility-related injuries.

Internet-based survey of the nature and perceived causes of injury to dogs participating in agility training and competition events

“…14 If applicable, handlers were asked to provide their best estimate regarding the type of injury, anatomic region affected, and perceived cause of injury. The number of dogs that the handler had entered in agility competitions during his or her career, number of years of experience in agility training, number of trials participated in during the past year, and frequency of agility practice for the handler were solicited as well as any preventative measures intended to keep dogs fit for agility activities and whether the handler and dogs participated in other canine sports.…”

The effect of the A-frame on forelimb kinematics in experienced and inexperienced agility dogs

“…Duty factor increases were also observed during galloping on an incline; therefore running in both incline and decline conditions generate increased loading in the limbs (Self et al, 2012). The gradients encountered by agility dogs on the A-frame generally exceed those encountered by racehorses, and if similar patterns of loading occur within dog as horses, this could explain the increased incidence of injury associated with A-frames (Cullen et al, 2013;Levy et al, 2009). Running speed and the experience of animals could also affect biomechanical efficiency on gradients; we hypothesised that inexperienced dogs would not display the same kinematic patterns as experienced agility dogs who had acquired defined and efficient motor skill patterns from multiple years of training and competition practice.…”

“…Agility Dogs are trained and encouraged to manoeuvre themselves over various pieces of equipment set out on a course at speed (Leach, 2006;Kennel Club, 2014b). Generally, within agility 32% of dogs will experience an injury related to their sport; furthermore, inexperienced dogs, defined as those with less than 4 years' agility experience, appear to be at greater risk of injury than their experienced counterparts (Cullen et al, 2013). Despite this, limited research has assessed the biomechanics of dogs participating in canine agility.…”

“…To date the majority of studies have examined dogs jumping hurdles, revealing that dogs experience high vertical forces in the forelimb and overstretching of the shoulder and spinal joints when jumping, potentially exposing them to repetitive strain disorders such as bicipital tenosynovitis and supraspinatus tendinopathy (Birch and Lesniak, 2013;Pfau et al, 2011). Injury surveys suggest that the Aframe is responsible for more injuries than hurdles (Cullen et al, 2013). Levy et al (2009) suggested that 27% of overall agility injuries involved the A-frame warranting investigation into how dogs negotiate this piece of equipment.…”

“…Contact obstacles also integrate zones at the ends touching the ground which dogs are required to touch with their feet to complete the equipment correctly (Leach, 2006). Dogs injured on the A-frame tend to present with spinal and shoulder injuries predominately, but can also experience carpal and phalangeal injury (Cullen et al, 2013;Levy et al, 2009). Injury acquisition has been anecdotally associated with extension and flexion in the spine throughout the incline-apex-decline phases as well as the increased loading and extension of the forelimb, and increased deceleration (braking) forces observed in downhill locomotion, potentiated by the faster speeds that are encouraged in experienced dogs during agility competition (Lee, 2010).…”