Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Trauma signs in cats at emergency admission and survival chances
By Fitzgerald, William R et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2022·Rangiora Veterinary Centre·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Clinical parameters at time of admission as prognostic indicators in cats presented for trauma to an emergency centre in New Zealand: a retrospective analysis.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 530 cats brought to an emergency center in New Zealand for trauma were evaluated to understand their injuries and chances of survival. Many of the cats had injuries to their hind legs, and the most common issues were skin cuts and scrapes. The study found that cats showing signs of confusion or low body temperature had a higher risk of not surviving. The findings emphasize the importance of thorough examinations during emergency visits to help predict outcomes for injured cats.
People also search for: cat trauma signs · cat injury prognosis · why is my cat acting strange after injury · cat emergency care tips
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to describe the clinical features of cats presented for trauma in a first-opinion and referral teaching hospital in New Zealand, and to determine the relationship between those features and outcome. METHODS: The electronic medical records of cats presented for trauma to the Massey University Pet Emergency Centre between September 2013 and January 2019 were examined, from which the signalment, clinical parameters and patient outcomes were extracted. Cases were assigned an Animal Trauma Triage (ATT) score and Modified Glasgow Coma Scale (MGCS) score. Variables were selected for inclusion in a logistic regression model to predict survival, and backward elimination was used to find the minimal significant model. RESULTS: In total, 530 cats met the inclusion criteria. The cause of injury was not known in the majority of cases (38.0%). The most common location of injury was the hindlimbs/pelvis/tail (n = 247; 41%), and skin lacerations/abrasions were the most common specific injury. Multivariate analysis revealed altered mentation (odds ratio [OR] 0.31, = 0.029), hypothermia (rectal temperature <37.8°C [<100.04°F]; OR 0.45, = 0.015) and an ATT score ⩾5 (OR 0.13,<0.001) to be statistically significantly associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Altered mentation and hypothermia are easily measurable perfusion parameter abnormalities associated with mortality in cats presenting with trauma. The ATT score appears to be an accurate prognostic indicator in cats presenting with trauma in New Zealand. These results highlight the importance of incorporating a hands-on triage examination in each cat that presents as an emergency after trauma.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36018375/