Surgery correction of paradoxical thorax wall due to bite trauma in a dog: Case report

Abstract

Thoracic trauma is among the most common conditions in small animals and can be presented with different levels of severity. The most common findings are pneumothorax, hemothorax, rib fractures and diaphragmatic hernias. These injuries do not always require surgical procedures, but when the degree of involvement is high, surgical exploration is acceptable to evaluate the real extent of internal injuries. The present work aims to report a case of a dog attacked in the thoracic region, describing an approach to the multiple trauma patient, in addition to diagnosis, treatment and care in the postoperative period. The patient was attended at Hospital Veterinário Renata Saccaro and had extensive soft tissue injuries, pneumothorax and rib fractures, resulting in loss of chest stability. After the first medical appointments and complementary exams, the patient was referred to the operating room, where the inspection of the thoracic organs was performed, followed by thoracorraphy with placement of a chest tube. The patient received intensive care until medical release and continued to follow up until his complete recovery. This paper demonstrates the importance of the veterinarian’s agility in diagnosing the comorbidities that accompany the polytrauma patient in order to refer him to effective treatment as soon as possible and save the patient.