My dog was hit by a car. What are the signs of internal trauma?

Question

My dog (6 month old, 20 pound, mini schnoodle) was hit by a car last night head on that was going about 35 mph. The car did not stop. He was seen by an emergency vet immediately after for evaluation and received an ultrasound. No fluid was found in abdomen or chest cavity at that time. His heart rate was elevated and he had road rash abrasions to his left inguinal area. He was responsive and no s/s of neurological damage were noted with an external neuro exam. I am a wreck and want to know more. Pet's info: Dog | Schnoodle | Male | unneutered | 6 months and 16 days old | 20.2 lbs

Laura Johnson VMD · Accepted Answer

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Murphy! You are doing all you can by having him at the Vet right now. When it comes to trauma some things don't show up for 12-24 hours, most specifically internal bleeding and bladder trauma. When I worked emergency I cared about 4 things: the lungs (was there a diaphragmatic hernia, pneumothorax, lung bruising, rib fracture, flail chest), the cardiovascular system (blood pressure, shock, internal bleeding), the neurologic system (head trauma, mentally appropriate, pupils, spinal trauma, can the dog walk on all legs) and the urinary system (can the dog pee, is the bladder ruptured). The last thing I cared about was wounds or broken bones. If Murphy is stable after 24-48 hours with the above 4 body systems he will recover just fine. After they know he is stable they can address wounds and broken bones as they are not life threatening, just expensive potentially to fix. You are going to have to be patient and wait to see how things go overnight. I wish you and Murphy the best!

My dog was hit by a car. What are the signs of internal trauma?

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