Abstract
Lip avulsions are a common result of orofacial trauma in dogs and cats. Vehicular trauma and bite wounds are common causes. Surgical therapy is highly successful with early decontamination and tension-free closure. This retrospective case series assessed the signalment, causes, lesion location, treatment and outcome of lip avulsion injuries in dogs and cats. A total of 23 patients with 24 lip avulsion injuries were included in the study. They were comprised of 11 dogs and 12 cats. The patients were generally young, with 68.2% under 3 years of age and 36.4% under 1 year of age. The most common known causes were animal bites (26.1%) and vehicular trauma (21.7%). In cats, the most common cause was vehicular trauma (25%). In dogs, the most common cause was an animal bite (45.4%). Bilateral rostral upper lip avulsion was most common in dogs (36.3%), whereas bilateral rostral lower lip avulsion was most common in cats (53.8%). Concurrent injuries were frequent in both species with tooth fractures reported in 34.7%. All lip avulsion injuries were treated via wound debridement and lavage followed by appositional repair with absorbable suture material. The most common short-term complication was wound dehiscence (21.4%). Surgical therapy was highly successful with no significant long-term complications reported. The results suggest that lip avulsion injuries are primarily seen in younger dogs and cats, usually result from vehicular trauma or animal bites, and are successfully managed with surgical repair.
Highlights
Soft tissue injury of the maxillofacial region is common in dogs and cats and typically a result of trauma
The upper lip appears to be more involved in dogs after bite trauma whereas the lower lip seems to be more likely affected in cats that have been stepped on by a person [9]
Cases were excluded if the lip avulsion occurred as a direct result of a maxillofacial fracture resulting in vertical tears of the gingiva and/or alveolar, labial or buccal mucosa
Summary
Soft tissue injury of the maxillofacial region is common in dogs and cats and typically a result of trauma. Contaminated and infected wounds may render the animal unable or unwilling to eat. Depending on the extent and location of wounds, nasoesophageal, esophagostomy or gastrostomy tubes may be indicated to temporary bypass the oral cavity and allow it to heal. Lip avulsion injuries have been documented in humans, dogs, cats, and horses [2,3,4,5,6,7,8]. Vehicular trauma and animal bites are frequently reported causes. The upper lip appears to be more involved in dogs after bite trauma whereas the lower lip seems to be more likely affected in cats that have been stepped on by a person [9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
