Several years ago, military researchers interested in Military Working Dog (MWD) protective equipment and survivability met with military veterinarians to discuss the need for a tool to gather and analyze injury data for canines. It was decided that the human Abbreviated injury Scale (AIS) could be adapted for use in canines and would meet a critical need for a universal veterinary injury scale. A collaborative research agreement was set up between the military and AAAM after the AAAM Board approved the project and provided seed funds for support. The project was a joint effort between the civilian and military worlds, with the goal of developing a Veterinary Abbreviated Injury Scale (V-AIS) for both working dogs, civilian as well as military, and companion animals treated at veterinary trauma centers.
A working group comprised of military and civilian veterinarians and certified AIS faculty members adapted the human AIS dictionary codes for use in canines. The Veterinary AIS is comprised of more than 1,400 codes. Additional teaching materials were developed including a student course manual, training slides, and other instructional aids. The course was piloted for United Kingdom researchers from the UK Defense Science and Technology Laboratory. Those individuals provided feedback and suggestions which enhanced the quality of the V-AIS materials. Currently they have coded a group of records supplied by the Veterinary Committee on Trauma (VetCOT) which are now being analyzed for inter-rater reliability, and the results are also being validated by a Certified AIS coder.
The expansion of the Abbreviated Injury Scale into the realm of veterinary medicine is an important step toward improving care and safety for working dogs as well as companion animals and developing protective gear for canines, and the collaboration between the veterinary community, the military, and AAAM illustrates the benefits of expanding the use of the AIS.