Trauma in dogs and cats: an overview.

Trauma is an important health hazard for dogs and cats. About 13 per cent of all patients seen in two large veterinary hospitals were for evaluation of injuries. Approximately 35 per cent of dogs and cats were injured severely, with an overall mortality rate of about 9 per cent from either spontaneous death or euthanasia. The major factor that influences an animal's chances of being injured is the owner's management of the animal's environment. Factors that influence the outcome of a traumatic event include the cause of injury, the amount of distribution of kinetic energy discharged into the animal, and the anatomic location of the injury. The veterinarian's role in dealing with trauma should be not only emergency resuscitation and definitive treatment of injured animals but also education of pet owners to the common environmental hazards that all too frequently affect their pets.