Gas gangrene in a greyhound

Authors: Goldfinch TT, James MP
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 22, Issue 4, pp 51-54, Apr 1974
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Companion animal, Dog
Subject Terms: Bacterial, Infectious disease, Disease/defect, Muscle/myology, Pathology
Article class: Clinical Communication

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Abstract: Gas gangrene is an acute, often fatal, bacterial disease, characterized by a severe necrotizing inflammation that begins in a local area of tissue damage and then rapidly spreads to affect contiguous tissue (Eliason et al 1937). The lesion is produced by the growth of one or more different species of gas-forming clostridia which may have been present either as dormant spores, in the tissue prior to its injury (Pope et al 1945; Cobb and McKay, 1962) or entered the tissue at the time of injury. In either instance germination and growth of the clostridia depend on anaerobic conditions, caused mainly by an interruption of blood supply to the tissue, but often aided by concurrent growth of aerobes which increase tissue anaerobiosis by causing suppuration. Also, calcium salts from bone fragments or other foreign particulate matter increase tissue anaerobiosis by lowering the oxidation potential. For this reason compound fractures provide very suitable conditons for clostridial growth (Robbins, 1967). When the initial focus of infection has been established, the exotoxins and enzymes elaborated by the growing clostridia aid its rapid spread to contiguous tissue…

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