title: A retrospective study of 109 dogs with mandibular fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine patient factors and fracture morphology of dogs presented with mandibular fractures to a small animal referral centre in South Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient data on age, sex, breed and aetiology of dogs with mandibular fractures were recorded. The fractures were classified according to the anatomical location, displacement, fracture type, fracture line direction, periodontal pathology, and whether there were teeth in the fracture line or not by evaluation of preoperative radiographs. Clinical observations indicated whether these fractures were open or closed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 109 dogs with 135 mandibular fractures were included in the study. Small breed dogs and dogs less than eight months of age predominated (102/109). Dog fights were the most common aetiology in this study (68/109). The molar region was the most commonly affected region (56/135). Evaluation of the radiographs revealed that transverse (73/135), relatively unstable (116/135), and displaced (112/135) fractures were the most common. The majority of fractures involved teeth in the fracture line (100/135), with the first molar frequently involved (54/135). The majority of fractures were open (104/135).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained from this study may be used to guide patient and fracture morphology selection in biomechanical studies of mandibular fracture repair techniques. Screening of this patient population may inspire the search for new treatment options for mandibular fracture repair in South Africa.
authors.affiliation: Section Small Animal Surgery, Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa. adriaan.kitshoff@ugent.be
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kitshoff
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: de Rooster
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Steenkamp
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology