Prevalence of External Fixator Use in Managing Open Fractures in Dogs at Ibadan Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Open fractures in dogs carry a higher risk of infection, delayed healing, and limb loss compared to closed fractures, necessitating specialized surgical management strategies. This study evaluates the prevalence and outcomes of external skeletal fixation as a primary surgical intervention for open fractures in dogs presented at the Ibadan Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Oyo State, South West Nigeria, between January 2021 and December 2023. Medical and surgical records of 62 dogs with confirmed open fractures were retrospectively reviewed. Cases were classified by Gustilo-Anderson open fracture grade, anatomical location, and fixator configuration employed. External skeletal fixators were utilized in 48% of open fracture cases, with intramedullary pinning and plate osteosynthesis accounting for the remaining surgical cases. Type II open fractures were the most common presentation at 41%. The tibia was the most frequently fractured bone requiring external fixation at 39%. Radiographic and clinical healing was achieved within 8 to 12 weeks in 73% of externally fixated cases. Pin tract infection was the most common complication at 27% of cases. The study concludes that external skeletal fixation is a clinically effective and relatively accessible technique for managing open fractures in dogs in Nigerian teaching hospital settings, particularly where advanced implant systems are limited. Continued training in external fixation techniques for surgical residents is recommended. Keywords: open fracture, external fixation, canine orthopedics, Ibadan, osteosynthesis.