Trauma and the veterinarian.

A survey of all American Veterinary Medical Association members in Minnesota and Wisconsin was conducted by questionnaire to document injuries resulting from animal treatment. Of 995 respondents, 64.6% had sustained a major animal-related injury. Seventeen per cent were hospitalized within the last year. Of those hospitalized, 25.3% required a surgical procedure. Hand injuries were most common in a veterinarian's career (52.6% of respondents), followed by trauma to the arms (27.6%), and the head (20.8%). The thorax (8.3%), genitalia (3.9%), and intra-abdominal viscera (2.8%) were injured less often. Operative procedures were frequently required to treat veterinarian injury from animal patients. Thirty-five per cent of veterinarians required treatment for suture of lacerations, 10% for reduction of fracture/dislocation, and 5% for dental work in their career. One craniotomy and one carotid artery repair were necessary. Mechanism of injury was animal kick (35.5%), bite (34%), crush (11.7%), scratch (3.8%), and other interesting causes (14.9%). These included the patient pushing, goring, head butting, running over, and falling on the veterinarian. Additional work-related hazards included zoonotic disease, autoinoculation of live brucella vaccine, and self-inflicted scalpel injuries from sudden patient movement. The most common animals involved were bovine (46.5%), canine (24.2%), and equine (15.2%). Lost days from work secondary to animal injury averaged 1.3 days (range, 0-180 days) in 1986 and 8.5 days (range, 0-365 days) during the veterinarian's career. Job related automobile accidents also occurred. Veterinarians averaged more than 300 miles driven per week, and only 56% reported following the speed limit. Fifteen per cent did not wear seat belts. Self-treatment of injuries was common.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Blunt bovine and equine trauma.

During the past 6 years 134 patients were admitted as the result of bovine (cow) and equine (horse) trauma. The mechanism of injury was fall from horse in 45 patients, animal assault in 42, animal kick in 39, and animal-drawn vehicle accident in eight. Injury Severity Score (ISS) ranged from 1 to 41 and was greater than or equal to 25 in 11 patients. One hundred seventeen operative procedures were performed by ten groups of surgical subspecialists. Mortality was nil. Ideal management of these injuries includes treatment in a regional trauma center and an educational program of preventive measures.