Traumatic Brain Injury: More Than Just a Bump on the Head

Traumatic brain injury can range from subtle neurologic dysfunction to rapidly progressive, life-threatening disease. This session will provide general practice veterinarians with a practical framework for recognizing traumatic brain injury, performing an efficient neurologic assessment, and identifying findings that influence prognosis and referral decisions. Emphasis will be placed on early stabilization, prevention of secondary brain injury, appropriate monitoring, and realistic treatment strategies when advanced imaging or specialty care is not immediately available.

• Recognize clinical findings consistent with traumatic brain injury and distinguish primary injury from potentially preventable secondary injury and the underlying pathology.
• Perform and interpret a focused neurologic assessment using the Small Animal Coma Scale.
• Develop an initial stabilization, monitoring, and referral plan for dogs and cats with suspected traumatic brain injury in a general practice setting.