TREATMENT OF ISOLATED TIBIAL FRACTURES IN CATS AND DOGS

We report here a review of 33 cases of isolated tibial fractures (i.e. , with the fibula intact) in 10 cats and 23 dogs, presented to four or thopaedic referral clinics, The purpose of this study was to identify factors to be considered when selecting the therapy for an isolated ti bial fracture in cats and dogs. The animal species, the size of the do g breed, the age of the patient, the type of tibial fracture, the pres ence of an additional fracture, the treating clinic, the therapy appli ed, and the results after treatment were taken into account, A step-ba ckward logistic regression analysis was applied to the series of cases to examine possible relations among the covariates. Treatment outcome was found by logistic regression analysis to depend significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) on age, the presence of an additional frac ture, and the therapy applied, No other relations were present between the covariates. In the immature cat or dog with an isolated tibial fr acture, treatment by external splinting has a good prognosis, In the m ature cat or dog with an isolated tibial fracture, rigid fixation by e xternal fixator or internal fixation is the method of choice.