Analysis of current methods and Welfare concerns in the transport of 118 horses by commercial air cargo companies

BMC Veterinary Research

Table 4 Number and percentage of abnormal clinical signs and their association with the different air transport phases

Variable	At departure (n (%))	One hour before landing (n (%))	On arrival (n (%))	One day after arrival (n (%))	Five days after arrival (n (%))	P value
Nasal discharge	12 (11)^A	29 (28)^B	13 (19)^AB	0 (0)^C	0 (0)^C	< 0.001
Increased capillary refill time (CRT > 2 s)	28 (33)^A	32 (34)^A	nr	0 (0)^B	0 (0)^B	< 0.001
Abnormal rectal temperature (RT > 38.6 °C)	0 (0)^A	nr	6 (9)	10 (13)^B	11 (16)^B	0.001
Presence of at least one abnormal clinical sign	41 (38)^ac	56 (55)^Bbc	30 (44)^c	15 (20)^Aa	20 (29)^A	< 0.001
Abnormal demeanor	40 (37)^AC	66 (65)^Bb	18 (26)^Cc	37 (49)^ABb	29 (41)^ABac	< 0.001

Total percentages: It is important to note that total percentages may not always sum to 100% for every characteristic due to rounding. nr: Not recorded in the survey. ns: Non-significant. Data were missing for nasal discharge at departure (missing = 11 horses, 9%), one hour before landing (missing = 16 horses, 14%), on arrival (missing = 50 horses, 42%), one day after arrival (missing = 43 horses, 42%), five days after arrival (missing = 48 horses, 41%); for increased capillary refill time at departure (missing = 32 horses, 27%), one hour before landing (missing = 24 horses, 20%), one day after arrival (missing = 72 horses, 61%), five days after arrival (missing = 74 horses, 63%); for abnormal rectal temperature at departure (missing = 48 horses, 41%), on arrival (missing = 50 horses, 42%), one day after arrival (missing = 43 horses, 36%), five days after arrival (missing = 48 horses, 41%); for abnormal demeanor at departure (missing = 9 horses, 8%), one hour before landing (missing = 16 horses, 14%), on arrival (missing = 50 horses, 42%), one day after arrival (missing = 43 horses, 36%), five days after arrival (missing = 48 horses, 41%). P value = effect of air transport phase. Values with different superscripts differ significantly (A, B, C = P < 0.001; a, b, c = P < 0.05)

ISSN: 1746-6148