About The Webinar
Open fractures of the appendicular skeleton have an incidence of approximately 0.1% in both cats and dogs. When looking at fracture configuration, open fractures are commonly observed with comminuted and oblique fractures. The tarsal region is reported to have the highest risk of developing an open fracture. Shearing injuries of the distal appendicular skeleton are observed in both dogs and cats most commonly following road traffic accidents due the paucity of soft tissue coverage in the distal limb. Open fracture classification in both the human and the veterinary world is largely guided by the early work done by Gustilo and Anderson in 1976. Gustilo’s classification aided in the decision making and management of open fractures in people subsequently reducing infection rates. The initial classification system divided fractures into categories I-III. Management strategies in the veterinary field are poorly described. This webinar discusses up to date protocols extrapolated from the human field.
