Minimal adverse events occur when inducing emesis with apomorphine in brachycephalic, mesocephalic, and dolichocephalic dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine risks of complications with emesis induction and whether facial conformation is associated with the frequency of complications. ANIMALS: 1,788 client-owned dogs that presented immediately or by referral from a primary care veterinarian following ingestion of toxic or foreign materials. METHODS: Patients with emesis induced with apomorphine for removal of toxic or foreign materials were retrospectively identified. Collected data included patient factors, routes of apomorphine administration, other therapies, adverse events, and patient outcomes. RESULTS: 2 types of complications were identified in a very small number of patients (11 [0.6%]), with 3 (0.17%) having regurgitation postemesis and 8 (0.44%) having prolonged vomiting. No significant difference was found in the rates of repeated vomiting or regurgitation between brachycephalic dogs and nonbrachycephalic dogs (P = .375 and P = 1.00, respectively). Brachycephalic dogs had 1.6 times greater odds of having emesis induction due to toxin ingestion compared to foreign material ingestion. The presence of clinical signs of toxicity at the time of emesis induction was associated with regurgitation (P < .001), and the development of regurgitation was associated with admission to hospital (P = .001). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study found no increased risk of complications when emesis was induced using apomorphine in brachycephalic breeds compared to nonbrachycephalic breeds, regardless of indication for emesis induction. Facial conformation is not a reason to withhold emesis induction.

ACVECC-Veterinary Committee on Trauma registry report 2017-2019.

OBJECTIVE: To report summative data from the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Committee on Trauma (VetCOT) registry. DESIGN: Multi-institutional registry data report, April 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019. SETTING: VetCOT identified and verified Veterinary Trauma Centers (VTCs). ANIMALS: Dogs and cats with evidence of trauma. INTERVENTIONS: Data were input to a web-based data capture system (Research Electronic Data Capture) by data entry personnel trained in data software use and operational definitions of data variables. Data on demographics, trauma type, preadmission care, trauma severity assessment at presentation (modified Glasgow Coma Scale and Animal Trauma Triage score), key laboratory parameters, interventions, and case outcome were collected. Summary descriptive data for each species are reported. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Thirty-one VTCs contributed data from 20,842 canine and 4003 feline trauma cases during the 33-month reporting period. Most cases presented directly to a VTC (82.1% dogs, 82.1% cats). Admission to hospital rates were slightly lower in dogs (27.8%) than cats (32.7%). Highest mortality rates by mechanism of injury in dogs were struck by vehicle (18.3%), ballistic injury (17.6%), injured inside vehicle (13.2%), nonpenetrating bite wound (10.2%), and choking/pulling injury (8.5%). Highest mortality rates by mechanism of injury in cats were struck by vehicle (43.3%), ejected from vehicle (33.3%), nonpenetrating bite wound (30.7%), ballistic injury (27.8%), and choking/pulling injury (25.0%). The proportion of animals surviving to discharge was 93.1% (dogs) and 82.5% (cats). CONCLUSIONS: The VetCOT registry is a powerful resource for collection of a large dataset on trauma in dogs and cats seen at VTCs. Overall survival to discharge was high indicating low injury severity for most recorded cases. Further evaluation of data on subsets of injury types, patient assessment parameters, interventions, and associated outcome are warranted. Data from the registry can be leveraged to inform clinical trial design and justification for naturally occurring trauma as a translational model to improve veterinary and human trauma patient outcome.

Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Small Animal Trauma Patterns in Australia: A Multicentre Study.

Objective: To determine whether patterns of trauma changed following the start of local lockdowns due to COVID-19. Design: Multi-institutional retrospective study assessing patients presenting within 2 years prior to local lockdown due to COVID-19 and 1 year following lockdown inclusive. Setting: Two university teaching hospitals and one private referral center in Australia. Animals: Dogs and cats with a presenting complaint of known or suspected trauma. Interventions: Patient signalment, date of presentation, trauma type, treatment interventions and patient outcome (survival to discharge, cardiopulmonary arrest, or euthanasia) were recorded in a web-based data capture system (REDCap). Measurements and Main Results: Three thousand one hundred eighty-nine patients (682 cats and 2,507 dogs) were included in the study. Overall trauma prevalence was 2.9% with pre-lockdown prevalence of 2.8% and post-lockdown prevalence of 3.1% (p < 0.001). Cats had higher rates of blunt trauma while penetrating trauma was more prevalent in dogs (p < 0.001). Juvenile patients were also more likely to have blunt trauma when compared to adult patients (p < 0.001). Patient age and sex characteristics did not differ when comparing the 2 time periods. Compared to pre-lockdown, blunt and penetrating trauma patterns changed post-lockdown in dogs and cats (p < 0.001 for both). Interventions were performed more frequently (p = 0.039) in the post-lockdown with surgical procedures having a significant increase (p = 0.015). Survival rates increased post-lockdown for both species (p < 0.001) with financially driven euthanasia being less common than in pre-lockdown for dogs (p = 0.02). Conclusions: Trauma patterns changed for cats and dogs in the post-lockdown period. Compared to pre-lockdown, trauma prevalence was higher with a decrease in mortality rate. No increase in juvenile patients was identified post-lockdown. A decrease in financially driven euthanasia and an increase in interventions suggest no negative financial effect from COVID-19 lockdown on trauma patient care in Australia.

Successful tracheoscopy-assisted reconstruction of traumatic tracheal avulsion in a cat.

OBJECTIVE: To outline the clinical findings, surgical management, complications, and outcomes in a case of intrathoracic, traumatic, tracheal avulsion. CASE SUMMARY: A 2-year-old domestic shorthair cat presented with respiratory distress 18 days after a motor vehicle accident. A tracheal avulsion was diagnosed and treated by surgical anastomosis. The initial anastomosis failed. The subsequent tracheoscopic-assisted tracheal anastomosis was successful. The cat had no further episodes of respiratory distress following the second surgery in a 9-month follow-up period. UNIQUE INFORMATION PROVIDED: This communication describes a complication of intrathoracic, traumatic, tracheal avulsion repair that has not previously been described and the use of tracheoscopy during the subsequent surgical procedure to ensure accurate suture placement.

Retrospective evaluation of methionine intoxication associated with urinary acidifying products in dogs: 1,525 cases (2001-2012).

OBJECTIVE: To describe the signalment, clinical findings, timing of signs, outcome, and prognosis in a population of dogs exposed to methionine through the ingestion of urine acidifying products. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2012. SETTING: Animal Poison Control Center. ANIMALS: A total of 1,197 case calls yielding 1,525 dogs identified with presumed methionine ingestion. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Records of dogs with presumptive methionine ingestion were reviewed from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Animal Poison Control Center database. Ingested methionine doses ranged from 3.9 mg/kg to 23,462 mg/kg. Clinical signs developed in 47% of dogs. The most common clinical signs were gastrointestinal (GI) and neurologic. The mean onset of GI signs was 2.8 hours following ingestion. The mean onset of neurologic signs was 6.8 hours following ingestion. GI signs were identified with ingested doses ≥22.5 mg/kg. Vomiting was the most common GI sign. Neurologic signs were identified with ingested doses ≥94.6 mg/kg. Ataxia was the most common neurologic sign. Resolution of clinical signs occurred within 48 hours of ingestion, and no fatalities were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Prognosis for dogs with methionine intoxication is excellent. Vomiting and ataxia were the most common clinical signs associated with methionine toxicosis.

Gastrointestinal tract perforations caused by ingestion of multiple magnets in a dog.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of gastrointestinal tract perforation, septic peritonitis and coagulopathy caused by ingestion of multiple magnets in a dog. CASE SUMMARY: An 8-month-old castrated male Rottweiler, weighing 30.5 kg was presented for evaluation of vomiting and weakness. Abdominal radiography and abdominal ultrasonographic examination identified a metallic foreign object within the gastric lumen, presence of free peritoneal gas, and peritoneal effusion. Septic peritonitis was diagnosed by abdominal fluid analysis. Exploratory celiotomy revealed the presence of an omental abscess, and gastric and colonic perforations. Four magnetic foreign objects were found within the lumen of the perforated stomach. Surgical management including removal of the magnets, abscess debridement and excision, perforation repair, and abdominal drainage combined with intensive medical therapy resulted in complete recovery of this dog. NEW OR UNIQUE INFORMATION PROVIDED: This report describes in detail the case management of a dog that developed both gastric and colonic perforations and severe morbidity secondary to ingesting multiple magnets.