Clinical study on the distribution of long bone fractures in canines

Introduction

In companion animals, injuries affecting the musculoskeletal system are quite prevalent and fractures involving long bones are among the most frequently noticed fractures. As pet ownership continues to rise, bone fractures are increasingly recognized as an important health issue in dogs (Ali, 2013) [2] . The study of incidence of long bone fractures provide a systematic understanding of their occurrence with respect to variables such as breed, age, affected bone, fracture type, and anatomical location Examining the patterns and frequency of different fracture types can provide valuable insight for advancing treatment methods used in canine fracture fixation (Aithal et al., 1999) [1] . The present article gives an idea about fracture distribution in and around College of Veterinary Science, Proddatur.

Materials and Methods

The study was conducted on incidence of long bone fractures in dogs presented to the Department of veterinary Surgery and Radiology, College of Veterinary Science, Proddatur during the period of the study (June 2025 to May 2026). Detailed case history and signalment were documented for all animals. Radiographic evaluation of the affected limbs was performed in standard orthogonal views, including craniocaudal and mediolateral projections, to identify the fracture site and pattern.

Results

Bone-wise incidence

Among 46 cases of various long bone fracture presented during the study, the femur bone was seen commonly affected n= 21 (46%) cases, followed by the tibia n=13 (28%) cases, radiusulna n= 7 (15%) cases, and humerus n= 5 (11%) cases (Fig. 1).

Age-wise incidence

The age-wise distribution of long bone fractures is summarized in Fig. (2). The present study comprised dogs with varying ages. A significantly higher incidence of long bone fractures was observed in dogs within the 0-6month age group (n = 31; 67%), followed by 7 month -1 year (n = 9; 20%). Dogs older than 12 months accounted for the remaining cases (n = 6; 13%). The results suggest that younger dogs, particularly during the active growth period are more prone to long bone fractures.

Sex wise Incidence

In the present investigation, a higher incidence of fractures was recorded in male dogs (n = 29; 63%) compared to female dogs (n = 17; 37%) (Fig. 3).

Incidence based on aetiology

Automobile accidents were the most common cause of fractures which accounted for 48% (n=22 cases) followed by fall from height in 24% (n=11 cases) and dog bite in 24% (n=11 cases). In the remaining 4% cases (n=2), fractures were due to the hit by objects (Fig. 5).

Incidence of type of fracture

In the present study, transverse fractures constituted the majority of cases (n = 23; 50%), followed by oblique fractures (n = 8; 17%), spiral fractures (n = 7; 15%), comminuted fractures (n = 6; 13%) and greenstick fractures (n = 2; 4%) (Fig. 6). [5] , Jani et al.

(2014) [6] , Harish Kumar et al. (2020) [8] , Usadadiya et al. (2020) [18] and Narendra Bhargav et al. (2024). This might be attributed to the length of femur which is around two quarters of the hind limbs and therefore had greater and easier exposure to the impact force. On contrary, Sumiran et al.

(2021) [16] and Ravi Kumar et al. (2022) reported that highest incidence in tibia-fibula, whereas Aravind Kumar et al.

(2023) reported higher incidence of fracture in radius-ulna. The increased occurrence of fractures in younger dogs (0-6 month) in the present study could be related to their active and playful nature, which might exposed them to a higher risk of injury. Compared to older dogs, younger animals tend to be more inquisitive and have a limited ability to recognize or avoid potential hazards. Furthermore, the thinner cortical bone present in young dogs may reduce their ability to tolerate even minor traumatic forces, thereby increasing their susceptibility to fractures (Bidari et al., 2023) [3] . Similar findings were reported by Jain et al. (2018), Kallianpur et al.

(2018) [7] , Sumiran et al. (2021) [16] , Sriharsha et al. (2024) [14] , Danush et al. (2025) [4] . The present study found higher incidence of fractures in male dogs which is similar to findings of Shiju Simon et al. (2011), Bhushan Kumar et al. (2020) [8] , Aravind Kumar et al. (2023) and Surya Lakshmi et al. (2024). This might be attributed to more active as well as aggressive behaviour of male dogs and greater tendency to roam, which increased their exposure to trauma and consequently elevated the risk of fractures (Kolata et al., 1974) [12] . Breed-wise distribution indicated a higher occurrence of long bone fractures in non-descriptive dogs, followed by Labrador, Germen Shepherd and Pomeranian breeds. These findings were in accordance with Randhir Singh et al. (2015) [13] and Swaroop et al. (2023) [17] . The higher incidence observed in non-descript dogs might be associated with their larger population and greater tendency to roam freely, which could increase their exposure to road traffic accidents (Bidari et al., 2023) [3] . Now-a-days automobile accidents constitute major cause of fractures due to increased urbanization and vehicular movement ( [16,3,4] . Animals are often struck from behind during such incidents because of delayed hindquarter responses (Kallianpur et al., 2018 and Bidari et al., 2023) [7,3] . The fracture pattern observed in this study revealed a predominance of transverse fractures followed by oblique, spiral, comminuted and greenstick fractures. Similar observations were reported by Bidari et al. (2023) [3] , Palle et al. (2023) [11] , and Swaroop et al. (2023) [17] , This indicates that bending or compressive forces are the predominant forces responsible for fractures.

Conclusion

The present study concludes that young, male, free-roaming non-descriptive dogs are at higher risk for long bone fractures in this region, with automobile accidents as the principal etiological factor. The predominance of transverse, mid-diaphyseal fractures is consistent with direct blunt-force mechanisms associated with vehicular and fall injuries. Clinically, awareness of the fracture patterns can help veterinarians to anticipate the likelihood of fracture type and further to prepare for stabilization and fixation strategies. From a public-health and preventive standpoint, efforts should be made to reduce road traffic injuries (owner education, leash/control measures, traffic calming near residential areas) and targeted supervision of young dogs could lower the incidence of traumatic long bone fractures.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementThe authors extend their heartfelt gratitude to the Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology, College of Veterinary Science, Proddatur for granting permission and providing the necessary information for this study. A special thanks is extended to Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Tirupati for offering essential facilities that greatly contributed to the successful completion of this study.

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