Abstract
Objectives To characterize the clinical features among dogs sustaining rib fractures and to
determine if age, type and severity of injury, entry blood lactate, trauma score and
rib fracture score were associated with outcome.
Methods A retrospective study was performed to include dogs that were presented with rib
fractures. Risk factors evaluation included breed, age, body weight, diagnosis, presence
of a flail chest, bandage use, puncture wound presence, rib fracture number, location
of the fracture along the thoracic wall, hospital stay length, body weight, other
fractures, pleural effusion, pulmonary contusions, pneumothorax and occurrence of
an anaesthetic event. A retrospective calculation of an animal trauma triage (ATT)
score, RibScore and Modified RibScore was assigned.
Results Forty-one medical records were collected. Motor vehicular trauma represented 56%
of the rib fracture aetiology, 41% of patients sustained dog bites and one case was
of an unknown aetiology. Significant correlations with risk factors were found only
with the ATT score. All patients that died had an ATT score ≥ 5. The ATT score correlated
positively with mortality (p < 0.05) with an ATT score ≥ 7 was 88% sensitive and 81% specific for predicting mortality.
A 1-point increase in ATT score corresponded to 2.1 times decreased likelihood of
survival. Mean hospital stay was 3 days longer for dog bite cases.
Clinical Significance There was no increased mortality rate in canine patients that presented with the
suspected risk factors. The only risk factor that predicted mortality was the ATT
score.
Keywords
trauma - fracture management - animal trauma triage score - canine rib fractures
