Casuística das osteossínteses de ossos longos realizadas em pequenos animais atendidos no hospital universitário veterinário da Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB no período de janeiro de 2019 a dezembro de 2024

Abstract

Bones are structures of the locomotor system necessary for performing movements, in addition to acting as resistance to gravitational force. Fractures of long bones are frequent and hold significant importance in veterinary orthopedic medicine, with vehicular accidents being the primary cause of these fractures, followed by falls, fights, human aggression, ballistic projectiles, and other various traumas. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to conduct a survey of osteosyntheses performed on small animals treated at the Veterinary University Hospital of the Federal University of Paraíba, located in Areia-PB, during the period from January 2019 to December 2024. For this purpose, information was collected regarding species, breed, sex, age, castration history, housing situation, cause of trauma, and the location of the osteosynthesis. The data were organized into a spreadsheet that was subjected to statistical treatment using the chi-square (χ2) adjustment test (p < 0.05). Subsequently, the chi-square test for independence, the Mann-Whitney test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test were performed. The results showed that dogs (81.90%), mixed-breed animals (SRD, 77.59%), and males (54.31%) were the categories most affected by fractures, as well as younger animals up to 3 years of age (61.04%), who were the most impacted. Regarding castration history and housing situation, the animals most prone to fractures were intact (75%) and semi-domiciled (40.52%), respectively. The main cause of fractures was vehicular accidents (53.45%), and the most commonly fractured bone was the femur (43.96%). There was a significant association between breed and housing situation; breed and fracture location; and species and cause of trauma, in addition to significant differences between age and castration history; and age and species. Thus, it is evident that stray animals are one of the main factors associated with fractures, contributing to the increase in osteosynthesis procedures performed at the Veterinary University Hospital in Areia-PB. This problem is exacerbated by the lack of adequate containment and protection measures by guardians, who should provide a controlled and safe environment for the well-being of the animals and for the prevention of accidents that may result in fractures.