Abstract
ABSTRACT. Vianna C.G. & Bahr Arias M.V. [Prospective study of 32 dogs with traumatic brain injury.] Estudo prospectivo de traumatismo cranioencefálico em 32 cães. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 35(1):93-99, 2013. Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid, PR 445 Km 380, Campus Universitário, Londrina, PR 86051-990, Brasil. E-mail: vicky@uel.br Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in dogs and cats is a common cause of neurologic dysfunction in the veterinary clinic’s routine. The aim of this study was to access the head trauma cases in dogs treated from 2008 to 2010, focusing on the clinical and neurologic signs. We also evaluated the glucose blood levels immediately after the trauma and in the following days, the presence of concomitant injuries, the efficacy of treatment instituted, the evolution of the case and the utility of the Glasgow Coma Scale Modified (ECGM) on the prognosis of these patients. To accomplish that, 32 dogs with head trauma in several degrees were evaluated. The most common cause of brain injury was being hit by a car and most of affected animals weighted less than 5 kg. The factors as weight, time between the occurrence of trauma and treatment, presence of associated injuries in other systems, medication administered prior to treatment, location of the lesion in the central nervous system, the presence of hyperglycemia in the initial care and use of mannitol did not predict survival of patients. The Modified Glasgow Coma Scale score (MGCS) in the initial care significantly interfered with the patient outcome, because among the group of survivors most come with a good score in the initial care, and in the group of no survivors, half presented serious score in the initial care. However, survival and good final score in ECGM did not meant functional capacity as pets, since many patients had significant neurological sequelae.