Epidemiologic study of severe trauma in cats
The objectives of the study included to identify demographic information, epidemiological factors, and clinical abnormalities that differentiate cats with severe trauma, defined as an Animal Trauma Triage Score (ATTS) ≥3 from those with mild injury (ATTS 0-2).
Researchers designed the study as a multicenter observational study utilizing data from the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ACVECC) Veterinary Committee on Trauma (VetCOT) registry. More specifically, the setting was ACVECC VetCOT Veterinary Trauma Centers.
The team identified 3,859 cats with trauma that entered into the ACVECC VetCOT registry between April 1, 2017 and Dec. 31, 2019.
Cats were categorized by ATTS 0-2 (mild, 65.1%) and ≥3 (severe, 34.9%). There was no age difference between categories. Male animals, particularly intact animals, were overrepresented. Blunt trauma was more common than penetrating trauma, with blunt trauma and a combination of blunt and penetrating trauma being more common in the severe trauma group.
While 96.6% of cats with ATTS 0-2 survived to be discharged, only 58.5% with ATTS ≥3 survived. Only 46.8% of cats with severe trauma had a point-of-care ultrasound performed, of which 8.9% had free abdominal fluid noted.
Hospitalization and surgical procedures were more common in the severe trauma group. Transfusions occurred more frequently in the severe trauma group but only in 4.1% of these cats. Other than ionized calcium, all recorded clinicopathological data — plasma lactate, base excess, PCV, total plasma protein, blood glucose — differed between groups.
The research team concluded that feline trauma patients with an ATTS ≥3 commonly present to veterinary trauma centers and have decreased survival to discharge compared to patients with ATTS 0-2. Differences exist between these groups, including an increased frequency of blunt force trauma — particularly vehicular trauma — head and spinal trauma, and certain clinicopathological changes in the ATTS ≥3 population. Relatively low incidences of point-of-care ultrasound evaluation and transfusions merit further investigation.
“Epidemiology of severe trauma in cats: An ACVECC VetCOT registry study.” Jack A Lee, et al. J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio). 2022 Aug 10. doi: 10.1111/vec.13229.
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