Computed tomography in polytraumatized patients: A retrospective study of 63 cases (2014-2017)

This study aimed to identify the regions and lesions most frequently reported in polytraumatized dogs and cats undergoing computed tomography. Research was carried out in the database of three Veterinary Referral Centers, to identify traumatized dogs and cats undergoing computed tomography from 2014 to 2017. Following were collected for each patient: Gender, weight, type of study carried out and injuries reported. Lesions were classified according to the region involved: Head, spine, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and appendicular skeleton. Thirty-seven studies involving cats and 26 involving dogs were included. Cats mainly presented lesions that involved both the skull and the chest simultaneously. Dogs presented lesions that affected the chest, abdomen and vertebral column simultaneously. In cats, the skull was more affected than in dogs (P<0.001). Of the cranial bone structures, more lesions were reported of the mandible and maxilla in cats (43%), and dogs were more affected by thoracic trauma (P<0.0011), by lesions of the vertebral column (P<0.008) and abdominal trauma (P<0.012). The thoracic findings included pulmonary contusions (dogs 54%, cats 24%) and pneumothorax (dogs 38%, cats 11%). Computed tomography in polytraumatized dogs and cats allowed a proper evaluation of the lesions and reduced the time between diagnosis and treatment.