Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with owner-inflicted broken front leg bone treated in Nigeria
By Abubakar, Nura et al.·Published in Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Journal·2025·View original on Crossref →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Case Study: A Case of owner-inflicted Humeral Fracture in a Dog: Veterinary and Legal Perspectives in Nigeria
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old mixed-breed dog was brought in with severe pain and limping in the right front leg. X-rays showed a fracture in the humerus (the bone in the upper arm), which was found to be caused by owner-inflicted trauma. The dog underwent surgery to stabilize the fracture using a technique called intramedullary pinning, and received antibiotics and pain relief afterward. Thankfully, the dog healed well and regained full use of the leg during follow-up visits. This case highlights the importance of recognizing potential abuse and the effectiveness of surgical treatment for bone fractures in dogs.
People also search for: dog limping front leg · dog humeral fracture treatment · signs of dog abuse · dog surgery recovery time
Abstract
A five-year-old mixed-breed dog was presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria, with acute lameness and severe pain in the right forelimb. Radiographic evaluation revealed a distal humeral fracture, later determined to be owner-inflicted trauma. The aim of this report is to describe the clinical management of an owner-inflicted humeral fracture in a dog and to highlight its veterinary and legal implications. The fracture was surgically stabilized using intramedullary pinning under general anesthesia, followed by postoperative antibiotic therapy, analgesia, and rehabilitation. The dog showed progressive clinical improvement, with uneventful wound healing and full functional recovery of the affected limb during follow-up. This case demonstrates that intramedullary pinning is an effective technique for canine humeral fracture repair, while also underscoring the importance of veterinary vigilance in recognizing potential animal abuse and integrating animal welfare and legal perspectives into clinical practice.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.21776/ub.vetbioclinj.2025.007.02.6