Fractures in small and pet animals - frequencies, classification and therapy

In a retrospective study 537 traumatic injuries of the sceleton system of d ogs, cats and small rodents/birds were analysed. The characterisation of lo ng bone fractures was made using a classification system developed by UNGER et al. (1990) especially for veterinary medicine in accordance with the gu ide lines of the AO/ASIF. The analysis showed that pelvic limbs were exposi ng twice as many fractures as thoracic limbs. Characteristic patterns of fr acture were determined for several bones. The most common fractures were si mple tibial diaphyseal fractures, followed by simple femoral and radius/uln a diaphyseal fractures. 73 percent of the classified fractures were treated by one or more procedures of osteosynthesis. Overall, in 90 percent of the fractures were treated successfully. Most complications that occurred were refractures and implant breaking. Bone infections were seen very rarely. D iaphyseal fractures of the femur showed a significant higher rate of compli cations than diaphyseal fractures of radius/ulna or tibia/fibula.