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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Distal tibial fractures in dogs and cats and how they heal

By Boone, E G et al.Β·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical AssociationΒ·1986Β·View original on PubMed β†’

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Original publication title: Distal tibial fractures in dogs and cats.

Movement & joints

Plain-English summary

A total of 43 dogs and cats with broken bones in their lower legs were treated to understand how these fractures heal. Most fractures occurred in the ankle area, and the pets were treated using methods like metal pins and screws to hold the bones together. These treatments worked well for pets of all sizes, with most of them healing in about six weeks. If your pet has a similar injury, these methods could be effective in helping them recover.

People also search for: dog leg fracture treatment Β· cat broken bone healing time Β· how to care for a pet with a fracture

Abstract

A total of 43 fractures of the distal tibia in dogs and cats were evaluated for fracture patterns, methods of stabilization, and time to bone union. Fractures of the metaphysis (9.3%), physis (30.9%), epiphysis (2.3%), and malleoli (58.2%) were classified. Open reduction and internal fixation, with combinations of Kirschner wire, orthopedic wire, and bone screws, were the methods of fixation used in the majority of fractures. These relatively simple methods of fixation were applied to all sizes of dogs and cats and resulted in an average bone healing time of 6 weeks.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3944006/