Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cervical injury following a horse kick to the head in two dogs.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
- Year:
- 2002
- Authors:
- Olby, Natasha et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Sciences · United States
Plain-English summary
Two dogs were brought to a veterinary hospital after being kicked in the head by a horse. When they arrived, both dogs showed signs of improvement from the head injury, but they also had problems with their breathing because of damage to the soft tissues in their necks, which was seen on X-rays. One dog fully recovered after receiving help with breathing for a while, but the other dog was put to sleep at the owner's request. This situation highlights how important it is to check the neck and spine after a head injury.
Abstract
Two dogs were presented to North Carolina State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital following blunt trauma to the head delivered by a horse kick. On presentation, both dogs had resolving clinical signs directly related to the head trauma, but both also had compromise to their upper airway as a result of indirect injury to the soft tissues of the neck, visible on plain radiographs. One dog made a full recovery following a period of assisted ventilation. The other dog was euthanized at the request of the owner. These injuries illustrate the importance of evaluating the cervical spine and soft tissues of the neck following blunt trauma to the head.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12118685/