Management of a thoracodorsal skin avulsion in a dog

Abstract

A seven-year-old male castrated Shih Tzu was treated at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals for a large partial thoracodorsal skin avulsion that resulted from a dog fight. Multiple management strategies were attempted in order to treat his wound. These strategies included primary closure, the use of vacuum-assisted closure, delayed primary closure, healing by second intention, and a secondary closure which was performed by the referring veterinarian. No single strategy has proven to be successful in his treatment, and management of his wound still continues two months after the initial injury.