Awareness of Pet Owners in Riyadh Regarding Pet-Related Health Risks and Their Associated Preventative Measures.

Objectives: This study aims to determine the sociodemographic characteristics of pet owners and their sources of information regarding pet-related health risks. It also assesses pet owners' perception of pet-related health risks and evaluates their attitudes and practices regarding preventative measures toward pet-related health risks. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from September 2020 to February 2021. The target population was pet owners visiting pet stores. The city was divided into five equal sectors and data were collected from each sector using a questionnaire. Results: A total of 508 participants were engaged in the study. Of these, 402 participants fit the inclusion criteria. The mean age of the participants was 25.5 years. Gender was almost equally distributed, and the majority of participants were single, however most of the participants lived with four or more family members. Around 49.5% of participants had household members at a higher risk for pet-related diseases. The most common pet types were cats (77.4%), followed by birds (24.6%) and dogs (9.7%). Most participants were satisfied with their understanding of pet-related health risks and were not concerned about getting sick because of contact with pets. Physical harm was the most common pet-related health risk that the participants were satisfied with their level of understanding about, on the other hand their satisfaction with their understanding about gastrointestinal infections from pet contact was the lowest. Most participants had good pet husbandry and hygiene practices. Social media and veterinarians were the most common sources of information regarding pet-related health risks. Conclusion: Although most pet owners reported having good pet husbandry practices, further education is needed to raise awareness about pet-related health risks. Since most pet owners receive their information about this topic from social media and veterinarians, further education through these platforms might be beneficial.

Neurological disability among adults following traumatic spinal fractures in Saudi Arabia: a retrospective single-center medical record review.

BACKGROUND: A traumatic spinal fracture (TSF) is a serious condition that has a tremendous impact on patients and their families. Understanding the causes and patterns of TSF is critical in developing prevention programs. OBJECTIVES: Identify causes and patterns of TSF and explore predictors of neurological disability in Saudi Arabia. DESIGN: A retrospective medical record review. SETTING: Level 1 trauma center in Riyadh. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The analysis included all consecutive patients who met the inclusion criteria for any acute TSF in patients 18 years of age and older from January 2001 to January 2016. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify predictors of neurological disability following TSF. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Neurological disability in patients sustaining TSF. SAMPLE SIZE: 1128 patients. RESULTS: Of 1128 patients, 971 patients (86%) were male with a mean (SD) age 34.4 (16.6) years. The most common mechanism of injury was motor vehicle accidents (88.4%). Cervical spine was the most commonly affected region (48%, n=468) with a mortality rate of 7.6%. Neurological disability occurred in 74 (6.7%) patients, and 41 (8.7%) of those with cervical fractures died in the hospital. The Injury Severity Score was a significant predictor of neurological disability following TSF. CONCLUSION: A high proportion of neurological disability following TSF was found. Further studies should attempt to improve the docu.mentation rate of seatbelt status in all traumatic cases including mild injuries. This data will increase our understanding of adult TSF and possibly facilitate injury prevention strategies. LIMITATIONS: Single hospital and may not be generalizable. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.