Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Survival odds for dogs and cats with head injuries based on admission
By Cameron, Starr et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care (San Antonio, Tex. : 2001)·2022·Department of Medical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The prognostic value of admission point-of-care testing and modified Glasgow Coma Scale score in dogs and cats with traumatic brain injuries (2007-2010): 212 cases.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 131 dogs and 81 cats with head injuries were treated at emergency hospitals to see how certain tests could predict their chances of recovery. In dogs, those that did not survive had higher blood sugar levels when they were admitted, while the modified Glasgow Coma Scale (MGCS), which measures consciousness, was significantly higher in those that did survive. For cats, the MGCS also indicated better survival chances, but blood sugar levels did not show the same pattern. The study suggests that monitoring blood sugar and consciousness levels can help veterinarians assess the prognosis for pets with traumatic brain injuries.
People also search for: dog head injury treatment · cat traumatic brain injury prognosis · high blood sugar in dogs · modified Glasgow Coma Scale for pets
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between admission point-of-care parameters and survival to discharge in dogs and cats with traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: Retrospective study 2007-2010. SETTING: A rural university teaching hospital and an urban private practice teaching hospital. ANIMALS: One hundred thirty-one dogs and 81 cats admitted to the emergency service with evidence of head injury based on history from the owner or physical exam. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In dogs, nonsurvivors had significantly higher glucose concentrations at admission than survivors (median = 8.49 mmol/L [153 mg/dl] vs 6.83 mmol/L [123 mg/dl], p = 0.039). In cats, there was no significant difference in admission glucose between survivors and nonsurvivors (median = 10.21 mmol/L [184 mg/dl] vs 10.93 mmol/L [197 mg/dl], p = 0.17). Modified Glasgow Coma Scale (MGCS) score was available for 105 of the 131 dogs (80%) and was significantly higher in survivors than in nonsurvivors (median = 16 vs 11, p < 0.0001). MGCS was available for 45 of the 81 cats (56%) and was significantly higher in survivors than in nonsurvivors (median = 17 vs 14, p = 0.0005). The relative prognostic value of the admission point-of-care testing parameters and MGCS were assessed using a stepwise linear regression model, which included admission glucose, pH, base excess, sodium, and MGCS. In dogs, only admission glucose was an independent predictor of survival (odds ratio = 1.027, 95% confidence interval, 1.0042-1.05, p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that, as in people with TBI, increased blood glucose concentrations may have prognostic significance in dogs with TBI but not in cats. In addition, MGCS score may be predictive of survival in both dogs and cats with TBI.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34432934/