Testing Refrigeration Trucks for the Emergency Evacuation of Companion Animals

Langman, Vaughan A.; Ellifrit, Nancy; Sime, Debra; Rowe, Mike; Hogue, Allan

Testing Refrigeration Trucks for the Emergency Evacuation of Companion Animals

2015

Langman, Vaughan A. | Ellifrit, Nancy | Sime, Debra | Rowe, Mike | Hogue, Allan

The purpose of this study was to quantify the changes in oxygen (O ₂) and carbon dioxide (CO ₂) in sealed refrigerator trucks scheduled to be used for transporting companion animals (dogs and cats) during an emergency evacuation. A total of 122 nonhuman animals (total weight = 1,248 kg) housed in individual crates were loaded into a 16-m refrigeration truck. Once they were loaded, the doors were closed and the percentages of O ₂ and CO ₂ were measured every 5 min by O ₂ and CO ₂ analyzers, and they were used to quantify the changes in gas pressure in the sealed truck. CO ₂ had a much higher-than-predicted increase, and O ₂ had a higher-than-predicted decrease. These 2 pressures in combination with the functionality of the respiratory system will limit the animal's ability to load O ₂, and over time, they will initiate asphyxia or suffocation. Over time, the partial pressure of oxygen (P O₂) in the sealed truck will decrease, causing hypoxia, and the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (P CO₂) will increase, causing hypercapnia.

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