![]() ![]() ![]() Clinical signs that can suggest a traumatic brain injury are altered level of consciousness, seizures, cranial nerve deficits, head tilt, circling, and nystagmus blood loss via ear canal. The approach to the small animal TBI patient should follow the ABCDs (cardiovascular, respiratory, and central nervous system) used to triage and to evaluate every emergency patient as multisystemic abnormalities, besides the TBI, could be present in a traumatized animal and they should be recognized and addressed accordingly. Aggressive resuscitation of the trauma patient will minimize the occurrence of secondary brain injury from decreased oxygen delivery. Insufficient oxygen delivery to neuronal tissue, accumulation of lactate and depletion of ATP levels are only some of the pathophysiological mechanism behind the secondary damage. ![]() Secondary brain injury refers to a cascade of pathophysiologic processes that culminate in progressive neuronal damage. There is little that we, as veterinarians, can do about the primary injury once the patient is brought to us (excluding surgical management of large hematoma and depressed skull fractures) minimizing the incidence or impact of secondary brain injury is the focus of the emergency medical management of the patient with TBI. Primary brain injury will result in concussion, contusion, and laceration of the brain parenchyma. Traumatic brain injury in the small animal patient may be the result of a variety of traumatic events. It is important that the emergency clinician recognizes rapidly the clinical signs and presentation of TBI and initiates rapidly the stabilization of the patient to limit any further axonal damage. Head trauma is a common emergency presentation it has been estimated that up to 20% of traumatized dogs and cats present with traumatic brain injury (TBI). ![]()
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