Ballistic trauma to the axial skeleton in 13 animals

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical presentation and outcome of small animals that sustained ballistic trauma to the axial skeleton.

Design: Retrospective, multicenter observational study.

Setting: Two university teaching hospitals.

Animals: Twelve client-owned dogs and 1 client-owned cat sustaining ballistic trauma to the axial skeleton.

Interventions: None.

Measurements and main results: Thirteen animals sustaining ballistic trauma to the axial skeleton with complete medical records were included in this study. Twelve of 13 animals survived to discharge; 1 animal was euthanized shortly after presentation. Two animals had ophthalmic abnormalities, 9 animals had neurologic lesions, and 2 animals had no significant ophthalmic or neurologic deficits. Neurolocalization of injury included peripheral vestibular (n = 1), multifocal brain (n = 1), brainstem (n = 1), C1-C5 (n = 1), C6-T2 (n = 1), T3-L3 (n = 3), and L4-S3 (n = 1). Seven dogs underwent surgical intervention: 5 neurosurgical, 1 enucleation, and 1 laparotomy. Median hospitalization time was 6 days with a range from 1 to 31 days.

Conclusions: Overall prognosis and outcome are variable and dependent on specific injury location and degree of injury.

Keywords: ballistic trauma; spinal cord injury; traumatic brain injury.