Head trauma: assessment management

摘要

Severe head trauma is associated with high mortality in human beings and animals. Death often results from progressive increases in intracranial pressure (ICP). Brain injury in dogs and cats is most often the result of road traffic accidents but canalso be due to falls, kicks, gunshot injuries and animal bites. The appropriate therapy for head trauma patients remains controversial in veterinary medicine due to a lack of retrospective studies on the treatment of dogs and cats with head trauma. Treatment of affected animals must be immediate if the animal is to recover to a level that is both functional and acceptable to the owner. The first veterinarian to deal with the brain-injured animal after the inciting traumatic event will dictate that patient's fate! It is important therefore to be aware of the optimal way to assess head trauma patients; many dogs and cats can recover from severe brain injuries if we are able to identify systemic and neurological abnormalities tiiat can be treated.