CT Findings and Histological Evaluation of Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) with Chronic Head Trauma Injury: A Retrospective Study

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Large numbers of wild animals are injured every year in road traffic accidents (RTA) and need first aid and assistance procedures, depending on the severity of the trauma and lesions. Head trauma may lead to traumatic brain injury (TBI), which causes neurologic and behavioral disorders. In this study, we retrospectively evaluated the clinical records of red foxes rescued and clinically evaluated to characterize computed tomography (CT) findings in a cohort of foxes with chronic head trauma and identify survival rates. On average, CT scans were performed 260 days after fox rescue. We speculate that persisting clinical signs could be attributed to TBI. CT scan helped diagnose chronic lesion and their effect on prognostic judgment for animals that should be released to wildlife environments. ABSTRACT: Large numbers of wild animals are injured every year in road traffic accidents. Scant data are available for rescued wild carnivores, in particular for red foxes. Cases of foxes with head trauma were retrospectively considered for inclusion in this study. Clinical examination, modified Glasgow coma scale (MGCS), computed tomography (CT) examination, therapy, outcome, and post mortem findings of the brain were investigated. In all foxes, cranial vaults lesion occurred in single (67%) or multiple sites (33%). Midline shift and hydrocephalus were observed in this population. The mean survival was 290 (±176) days. In our study, we performed CT scans on average 260 days after fox rescue, and we speculate that persisting clinical signs could be attributed to TBI. In our study, only two foxes were alive at the time of writing. Other foxes were euthanized due to the severity of the clinical signs. CT scans help diagnose chronic lesions and their effect on prognostic judgment for animals released to wildlife environments.