There is limited literature concerning the types of injuries that military working dogs (MWDs) face while in a deployed theater of operations and associated risk factors. To summarize injuries and identify injury risk factors in MWDs during their first deployments to Iraq, demographic and medical data were collected for 794 MWDs from the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps that deployed to Iraq between March 20, 2003 and December 31, 2007. Sixty-two percent (n = 490) had a medical encounter during deployment. Injuries were categorized as traumatic or musculoskeletal. MWD demographics, characteristics, and injury types were summarized. Injury risk factors were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. A majority of the population were German Shepherds (56 %), intact males (49 %), and dogs certified in both patrol and explosives detection (73 %). During their first deployment to Iraq, 20 % (n = 156) experienced an injury. Risk factors included breed, age, and occupational certification. Belgian Malinois and Labrador Retriever dogs had greater odds of injury compared to German Shepherds (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02) and the oldest MWDs had about a 50 % higher risk of injury compared to the youngest (p = 0.01), especially for musculoskeletal injuries. MWDs with Specialized Search certification were at increased injury risk (p = 0.02). Training, equipment, and supplies for veterinary service personnel, MWD handlers, and MWDs should be tailored with consideration of the injury risks of the MWD population. Further study is needed to investigate chronic injuries in military working dogs to better understand causation and prevention.

中文翻译：

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部署到伊拉克的军事工作犬受伤的危险因素。

关于军事工作犬在部署的战区中所面临的伤害类型及相关危险因素的文献有限。为了总结伤害并确定MWD在首次部署到伊拉克期间的伤害风险因素，收集了2003年3月20日至12月间从美国陆军，空军，海军和海军陆战队部署到伊拉克的794辆MWD的人口统计和医学数据2007年3月31日。在部署期间，有62％（n = 490）出现过医疗事故。损伤分类为外伤性或肌肉骨骼性。总结了随钻测井的人口统计，特征和伤害类型。使用多因素逻辑回归评估伤害风险因素。人口的大部分是德国牧羊犬（56％），完整无缺的男性（49％），巡逻和爆炸物检测均获得认证的狗（73％）。在首次部署到伊拉克期间，有20％（n = 156）受伤。风险因素包括品种，年龄和职业证明。与德国牧羊犬（p = 0.04和p = 0.02）相比，比利时玛利诺犬和拉布拉多犬的受伤几率更大，而年龄最小的牧羊犬（比年龄最小的牧羊犬）的受伤风险高约50％（p = 0.01），尤其是对于骨骼肌受伤。拥有“专业搜索”认证的MWD受伤风险增加（p = 0.02）。为兽医服务人员，MWD操作员和MWD设计培训，设备和用品时应考虑到MWD人群的伤害风险。需要进行进一步的研究以调查军犬的慢性损伤，以更好地了解病因和预防。