LAUSR

OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical presentation and outcome of small animals that sustained ballistic trauma to the axial skeleton. DESIGN Retrospective, multicenter observational study. SETTING Two university teaching hospitals. ANIMALS Twelve client-owned dogs and 1 client-owned cat sustaining ballistic trauma to the axial skeleton. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Thirteen animals sustaining ballistic trauma to the axial skeleton with complete medical records were included in this study. Twelve of 13 animals survived to discharge; 1 animal was euthanized shortly after presentation. Two animals had ophthalmic abnormalities, 9 animals had neurologic lesions, and 2 animals had no significant ophthalmic or neurologic deficits. Neurolocalization of injury included peripheral vestibular (n = 1), multifocal brain (n = 1), brainstem (n = 1), C1-C5 (n = 1), C6-T2 (n = 1), T3-L3 (n = 3), and L4-S3 (n = 1). Seven dogs underwent surgical intervention: 5 neurosurgical, 1 enucleation, and 1 laparotomy. Median hospitalization time was 6 days with a range from 1 to 31 days. CONCLUSIONS Overall prognosis and outcome are variable and dependent on specific injury location and degree of injury.