Management of compound fracture of the radius and ulna using pop and splints in a Nigerian Indigenous breed of dog: Case report

Abstract

A case of compound fracture of both radius and ulnar which occurs from trauma as a result rodent’s trap was presented to the small animal unit of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Maiduguri with the chief complaint of trauma and severe bleeding which was haphazardly managed before presentation. It was then referred to the Surgery and Radiology unit of the hospital, where it was managed using external fixatives consisting of Plaster of Paris and splints around the unaffected area, where the affected area was sutured and treated as open wound until it healed. Conventionally, such fractures are managed using either external fixatives such as ilizarov apparatus, Octopod external fixator and Taylor spatial frame or internal fixatives such as intramedullary pin, bone plates and cerclage wires. However, we couldn’t get any of this within our reach, we had to use POP and splint which is more affordable since the client complaint of not having money to go for expensive procedures. The dog was discharged home, twelve weeks after, there was no any sign of wound dehiscence, mal union or non-union, hence the fracture healed completely.