Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Infection rates after fixing small dog and cat leg fractures
By Schmökel, H et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2021·Evidensia Specialistdjursjukshuset·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Infection rate treating radial and ulnar fractures using bone plate fixation without antibiotic prophylaxis.
Plain-English summary
A small dog or cat with a broken leg was treated using a special titanium plate to fix the fracture without giving antibiotics beforehand. In a study of 32 pets, all of them healed well, with no cases of superficial infection and only a small number experiencing deep infections related to the implant. The pets were followed for about 4 to 35 weeks, and all showed good recovery. This method of treatment proved effective and safe for small breeds.
People also search for: dog broken leg treatment · cat fracture healing · titanium plate for dog leg injury · infection after dog surgery · small dog fracture recovery time
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness and complication rate of a 1.5- and 2.0-mm titanium locking plate for the treatment of radial and ulnar fractures in small dog breeds and cats without peri-operative antibiotic prophylaxis in a prospective case series. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records and radiographs of closed radial and ulnar fractures treated using internal fixation with a 1.5- or 2.0-mm titanium locking plate without antibiotic prophylaxis were collected prospectively. Patients were clinically followed up until radiographical fracture healing was complete. RESULTS: Thirty-two fractures in small breed dogs and cats with an average bodyweight of 3.9 kg met the inclusion criteria. The follow-up time radiographically and clinically was 4-35 weeks. All fractures showed radiographical fracture union, and all patients had a good clinical outcome. The superficial infection rate in this case series was 0%; the deep infection rate involving the implant/bone was 3.1%. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The novel 1.5- and 2.0-mm titanium locking plate system was successfully used to treat simple closed radial and ulnar fractures in small breed dogs and cats without peri-operative antibiotic prophylaxis, resulting in good clinical outcome and a low infection rate.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34410009/