PENETRATING WOUNDS OF THE THORAX IN 15 HORSES

Clinical features, treatment and outcome of 15 horses with penetrating thoracic wounds are described. The most common cause of trauma was co llision with an object (10 horses). Concurrent clinical findings inclu ded subcutaneous emphysema (12 horses), pneumothorax (12 horses), haem othorax (5 horses) and pneumomediastinum (6 horses). Axillary wounds w ere present in 5 horses. Foreign bodies were identified and removed fr om 2 horses. Wounds were sutured (6 horses) or packed (7 horses). Air was evacuated from the pleural cavities of 11 horses. Eleven horses (7 3%) were discharged from the hospital. All horses subjected to euthana sia had severe trauma to structures outside the thoracic cavity includ ing perforation of the colon (2 horses), renal trauma (1 horse) and a luxated thoracolumbar vertebra (1 horse). From this study, it can be c oncluded that 1) the prognosis for horses with penetrating thoracic wo unds, without extrathoracic injury, is favourable; 2) a thorough evalu ation including the abdominal cavity should be performed and 3) horses with axillary wounds should he monitored closely for respiratory dist ress until the wound has completely healed.