Ballistic trauma to the axial skeleton in 13 animals

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

Retrospective, multicenter observational study.

Two university teaching hospitals.

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

None.

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.

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