Dog bite wounds in cats: a retrospective study of 72 cases.

OBJECTIVES: Bite wounds are a common cause of trauma in cats; nevertheless, large-scale studies of this trauma in cats are lacking. The aims of the present study were to characterise the clinical and clinicopathological findings in these cats, to assess the association of these variables and therapeutic measures with survival, and to assess the association between the animal trauma triage (ATT) score and severity of injuries score (SS) at presentation with survival. METHODS: The medical records of cats presented to a veterinary teaching hospital and two large referral clinics were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The study included 72 cats diagnosed with canine bite wounds (with the dog attacks having been witnessed). Seventy-one percent of cats suffered multiple injuries, and there was a significant association between the number of injured body areas and survival, and between severity of injury and survival (P = 0.02 and P = 0.012, respectively). The median ATT scores and SSs for non-survivors were significantly higher compared with survivors (P <0.0001). There was a strong and significant correlation between ATT scores and SSs (r = 0.704, P <0.0001). Total protein and albumin were significantly lower and alanine aminotransferase significantly higher in non-survivors compared with survivors (P ⩽0.032). Fifty percent of cats were treated conservatively, 32% by local surgical debridement and 18% of cats required an exploratory procedure. Cats undergoing more aggressive treatments were significantly less likely to survive (P = 0.029). Fifty-seven cats (79%) survived to discharge. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Cats sustaining canine bite wounds have a good overall prognosis for survival to discharge. High ATT score, high SS, multiple body area injuries, penetrating injuries, radiographic evidence of vertebral body fractures and body wall abnormalities, as well as hypoproteinaemia and elevated alanine aminotransferase, are negative predictors of survival.

Comparison of saphenous and cephalic blood lactate concentrations in dogs with gastric dilatation and volvulus: 45 cases.

Gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV) is a life-threatening condition, suspected to result in differential tissue perfusion in different regions of the body. Lactate is a biomarker of hypoperfusion that correlates with treatment outcomes in dogs with GDV. This prospective observational study aimed to compare lactate between saphenous and cephalic venous samples in 45 client-owned dogs with GDV, to evaluate their association with treatment outcomes (survival, surgical complications, and duration of hospitalization) and to assess the correlation between lactate and other biochemical parameters. Both saphenous and cephalic lactate concentrations were significantly higher in non-survivors (P = 0.01). No statistical difference was found between lactate concentrations in saphenous versus cephalic venous samples (P = 0.480). For each dog, the difference in lactate between saphenous and cephalic veins was calculated (Δlactate = saphenous - cephalic); it was not associated with survival (P = 0.198), surgical complications (P = 0.346), or duration of hospitalization (P = 0.803). Higher lactate and lower glucose (saphenous vein) were associated with lower PCV and higher creatinine, on presentation. The results of this study failed to show an association between Δlactate concentrations and treatment outcomes in dogs with GDV; however, in agreement with previous studies, lower lactate was associated with a decreased mortality rate.

La dilatation gastrique et le volvulus (DGV) est une condition potentiellement mortelle, suspectée de causer une perfusion tissulaire différentielle dans différentes régions du corps. Le lactate est un marqueur d'hypoperfusion qui est corrélé avec l'issu du traitement chez les chiens avec DGV. Cette étude prospective observationnelle visait à comparer les valeurs de lactate obtenues à partir d'échantillons de sang pris dans la veine saphène et la veine céphalique chez 45 chiens avec DGV appartenant à des clients, à évaluer leur association avec les résultats du traitement (survie, complications chirurgicales, et durée de l'hospitalisation) et évaluer la corrélation entre le lactate et d'autres paramètres biochimiques.Les concentrations de lactate des veines saphène et céphalique étaient significativement plus élevées chez les non-survivants (P = 0,01). Aucune différence statistique ne fut trouvée entre les concentrations de lactate des échantillons de la veine saphène versus la veine céphalique (P = 0,480). Pour chaque chien, la différence en lactate entre les veines saphène et céphalique fut calculée (Δlactate = saphène − céphalique); elle n'était pas associée à la survie (P = 0,198); complications chirurgicales (P = 0,346), ou durée de l'hospitalisation (P = 0,803). Une valeur de lactate plus élevée et de glucose plus basse (veine saphène) étaient associées avec un hématocrite plus faible et une valeur de créatinine plus élevée, au moment de la présentation.Les résultats de la présente étude n'ont pas permis de démontrer une association entre les concentrations de Δlactate et l'issues des traitements chez des chiens avec DGV; toutefois, en accord avec les études antérieures, un niveau plus faible de lactate était associé avec une réduction du taux de mortalité.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).