USE OF CORTICAL BONE FENESTRATION, AUTOGENOUS FREE SKIN GRAFT, AND THERMOGRAPHY FOR WOUND TREATMENT AND MONITORING IN A RED WOLF (CANIS RUFUS GREGORYI).
A 2-yr-old female red wolf (Canis rufus gregoryi) sustained a degloving injury to the left thoracic limb while in a display habitat. Initial attempts to resolve the extensive wound by using conservative measures were unsuccessful. Subsequent treatment using a free skin graft consisted first of establishment of an adequate granulation bed via cortical bone fenestration. After establishment of a healthy granulation bed was achieved, free skin graft was harvested and transposed over the bed. To monitor viability and incorporation of the graft, serial thermographic imaging was performed. Thermography noninvasively detects radiant heat patterns and can be used to assess vascularization of tissue, potentially allowing early detection of graft failure. In this case, thermography documented successful graft attachment.
Jennifer L
JL
Hurley-Sanders
Kurt K
KK
Sladky
Elizabeth C
EC
Nolan
Michael R
MR
Loomis
D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000662:veterinary*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000662:veterinary*; D019596:Wolves; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*
Canis rufus gregoryi; cortical bone fenestration; red wolf; skin graft; thermography