Degloving injuries in companion animals

Abstract

Degloving injuries are defined as avulsions or detachment of the skin and subcutaneous tissue from the underlying muscle and fascia secondary to a sudden shearing force applied to the skin surface. Degloving injuries are characterised by extensive trauma to the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Skin loss may occur at the time of the injury, or may be delayed, due to skin necrosis such as in physiological degloving injuries, in which tangential forces separate the mobile subcutaneous tissue from the immobile underlying fascia. It is vital to remember that dogs and cat sustaining degloving injuries will have sustained significant trauma and, therefore, a holistic approach to patient management is required to ensure intra-abdominal and intra-thoracic trauma is not overlooked. This review covers patient triage, initial wound management and longer-term options for wound closure.