Factors associated with survival to hospital discharge for cats treated surgically for thoracic trauma.

OBJECTIVE To determine the most common types of injuries in cats surgically treated for thoracic trauma, complications associated with surgical treatment, and factors associated with mortality rate and evaluate the effectiveness of the animal trauma triage (ATT) scoring system for predicting outcome. DESIGN Retrospective case series with nested observational study. ANIMALS 23 client-owned cats surgically treated for thoracic trauma at 7 veterinary teaching hospitals between 1990 and 2014. PROCEDURES Medical records were reviewed to collect data on signalment, medical history, clinical signs and physical examination findings at initial evaluation, clinicopathologic findings, initial emergency treatments and diagnostic tests performed, type of trauma sustained, imaging findings, surgery details, postoperative complications, duration of hospitalization, and cause of death, if applicable. All variables were evaluated for associations with survival to hospital discharge. RESULTS Types of trauma that cats had sustained included dog bite or attack (n = 8 [35%]), motor vehicle accident (6 [26%]), other animal attack (2 [9%]), impalement injury or fall (2 [9%]), projectile penetrating trauma (1 [4%]), or unknown origin (4 [17%]). Intrathoracic surgery was required for 65% (15/23) of cats. The overall perioperative mortality rate was 13% (3/23). Mean ± SD ATT scores for surviving and nonsurviving cats were 6.4 ± 2.2 and 10.0 ± 1.7, respectively. Nineteen of 20 cats with no cardiopulmonary arrest survived to discharge, compared with 1 of 3 cats with cardiopulmonary arrest. Only these 2 variables were significantly associated with outcome. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The perioperative mortality rate was low in this series of cats with thoracic trauma; however, those with cardiopulmonary arrest were less likely to survive to hospital discharge than other cats. Cats with a low ATT score were more likely to survive than cats with a high ATT score.

Perioperative mortality rate and risk factors for death in dogs undergoing surgery for treatment of thoracic trauma: 157 cases (1990-2014).

OBJECTIVE To determine perioperative mortality rate and identify risk factors associated with outcome in dogs with thoracic trauma that underwent surgical procedures and to evaluate the utility of the animal trauma triage (ATT) score in predicting outcome. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 157 client-owned dogs. PROCEDURES Medical records databases of 7 veterinary teaching hospitals were reviewed. Dogs were included if trauma to the thorax was documented and the patient underwent a surgical procedure. History, signalment, results of physical examination and preoperative laboratory tests, surgical procedure, perioperative complications, duration of hospital stay, and details of follow-up were recorded. Descriptive statistics and ATT scores were calculated, and logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS 123 of 157 (78%) patients underwent thoracic surgery, and 134 of 157 (85.4%) survived to discharge. Mean ± SD ATT score for nonsurvivors was 8 ± 2.4. In the multivariable model, female dogs and dogs that did not experience cardiac arrest as a postoperative complication had odds of survival 6 times and 102 times, respectively, those of male dogs and dogs that did experience cardiac arrest as a postoperative complication. Additionally, patients with a mean ATT score < 7 had odds of survival 5 times those of patients with an ATT score ≥ 7. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The overall perioperative mortality rate was low for patients with thoracic trauma undergoing surgery in this study. However, male dogs and dogs that experienced cardiac arrest had a lower likelihood of survival to discharge. The ATT score may be a useful adjunct to assist clinical decision-making in veterinary patients with thoracic trauma.

MANAGEMENT OF ENDOMETRIOSIS IN TWO CAPTIVE MANDRILLS (MANDRILLUS SPHINX).

Endometriosis has been reported in humans, great apes, and Old World monkeys. Although cases are noted anecdotally in Mandrillus spp., and a previously reported case was noted on postmortem examination, to the authors' knowledge, no previous reports of case management have been published in the peer-reviewed literature. This paper describes the medical and surgical management of endometriosis in two mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx).

Occurrence and Clinicopathologic Features of Splenic Neoplasia Based on Body Weight: 325 Dogs (2003-2013).

Medical records of 396 dogs undergoing splenectomy for treatment of a splenic mass or nodular disease were reviewed retrospectively. Overall distribution of histopathologic diagnosis and clinicopathologic features were evaluated for 325 dogs that met inclusion criteria. Dogs were dichotomized into two groups based on weight, with the statistically derived cutoff identified as 27.8 kg. Malignancy was diagnosed in 58% of dogs, with no difference between small (55%) and large (61%) dogs (P = .291). Overall, 32% of splenic masses were hemangiosarcoma (HSA), which comprised 25 and 39% of all masses in small and large dogs, respectively. The diagnosis of HSA, non-HSA malignancy, or benign splenic disease was significantly different between the groups (P = .019). Of malignant diagnoses, HSA comprised 46 and 65% of small and large dog splenic neoplasms, respectively (P = .009). In both groups, dogs with HSA were significantly more likely to have preoperative anemia, hemoabdomen, thrombocytopenia, and a blood transfusion, as compared to dogs with non-HSA malignancy or benign lesions. Overall, dogs had similar odds of having a malignant splenic lesion regardless of weight, but dogs ≤27.8 kg were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with HSA.