Table 3.
Results of multivariable analysis of information collected at the veterinary examination at the time of intake for puppies and kittens entering an adoption-guarantee animal shelter. An odds ratio >1 indicates increased odds of delay from intake to veterinary approval for adoption on medical grounds. NA = Not applicable1.
| Puppies | Kittens | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variable | Odds Ratio (95% Confidence Intervals) | p-value | Odds Ratio (95% Confidence Intervals) | p-value |
| Skin disease present* | 1.61 (1.12 – 2.32) | 0.01 | 1.12 (0.80 – 1.58) | 0.51 |
| Respiratory disease present* | 2.40 (1.80 – 3.19) | <0.0001 | 3.95 (3.01–5.18) | <0.0001 |
| Digestive disease present* | 1.55 (1.22 – 1.98) | <0.0001 | 1.50 (1.17 – 1.93) | 0.002 |
| Gender | ||||
| Male | 1.00 | Reference | 1.00 | Reference |
| Female | 0.96 (0.76 – 1.20) | 0.697 | 0.78 (0.62–0.97) | 0.092 |
| Source | ||||
| Stray | 1.00 | Reference | 1.00 | Reference |
| Owner relinquished | 1.02 (0.76 – 1.35) | 0.896 | 0.82 (0.63 – 1.07) | 0.136 |
| Transferred from another shelter | 0.91 (0.69 – 1.21) | 0.517 | 0.57 (0.38 – 0.87) | 0.01 |
| Breed | ||||
| Canine mixed breed | 1.00 | Reference | ||
| Canine - not mixed breed | 0.74 (0.47 – 1.17) | 0.194 | ||
| Feline - Domestic medium hair | 1.00 | Reference | ||
| Feline - Domestic longhair | 0.18 (0.31 – 1.25) | 0.182 | ||
| Feline - Domestic shorthair | 0.52 (0.61 – 1.29) | 0.515 | ||
| Feline - Siamese mix | 0.28 (0.27 – 1.65) | 0.379 | ||
| Age (weeks) | 0.98 (0.96–1.00) | 0.062 | 0.94 (0.92 – 0.96) | <0.0001 |
*
Clinical signs were included in the proportional hazard model as individual variables, but not as overlapping multiple clinical signs, to avoid multicollinearity.