Fracture in growth plate in dogs and cats: Review

Abstract

The growth plate is a cartilaginous tissue located at both ends of long bones; They are responsible for bone lengthening, acquiring of spongy or trabecular structure and trabecular bone mass accumulation during the development. The growth plate is considered less resistant than the surrounding structures, such as bones and ligaments, making the region more susceptible to injuries. In the last decade the demand for care at the clinic for small animals has multiplied. Proportionally to the increase of general consultation, it is recorded the increase of animal care with orthopedic fractures, of which stand out the growth plate fractures in puppies. A fast diagnosis and appropriate treatment are essential. Understanding the anatomy and the histology of the growth disk is important to determine the effect of specific lesions on the growth potential of the physis. This paper aims to make a literature review about this disease for the canine and feline species, covering the aspects of bone origin and histology, describing and classifying fractures in growth lines, prevalence, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.