Retrospective Evaluation of the Epidemiology of Modified Glasgow Coma Scale Score and Head Injury in Dogs-An ACVECC-VetCOT Registry Study (April 2017 to December 2021): 9607 Cases.

OBJECTIVE

To describe and compare a large multicenter cohort of dogs with head injury and dogs with a change in modified Glasgow Coma Scale (MGCS) score as an exploratory definition of traumatic brain injury (TBI).

DESIGN

Retrospective evaluation of veterinary trauma registry data.

SETTING

Veterinary Committee on Trauma-identified veterinary trauma centers.

ANIMALS: A total of 9607 dogs with data entered in the Veterinary Committee on Trauma registry.

MEASUREMENT AND MAIN

RESULTS

Dogs with an MGCS score <18 had a lower chance of survival (793/1172 [67.7%]) compared with dogs with an MGCS score of 18 (8216/8401 [97.8%]) (p < 0.001). Age and size correlated with lower MGCS score, with younger and smaller dogs more likely to have an MGCS score <18 (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). An MGCS score <18 was most commonly associated with blunt trauma (830/1183 [70.2%]) when compared with dogs with an MGCS score of 18 (3335/8422 [39.8%]) (p < 0.001). Dogs with an MGCS score of 18 had an incidence of head injury of 8.4%, and dogs with an MGCS score <18 had an incidence of head injury of 32.8%.

CONCLUSIONS

This epidemiologic study describes the clinical and prognostic characteristics of dogs with head injury and with changes in MGCS score. Although associated with many aspects of traumatic injury, a change in MGCS score as a surrogate for TBI is not ideal and is not always consistent with the Animal Trauma Triage neurologic score or the presence of head injury. This study enhances our understanding of head injury, MGCS scoring, and the challenges of recognizing TBI in dogs. Additionally, this study helps to further develop a translational model of TBI through the comparative power of the MGCS to the human GCS.