A retrospective study on the treatment of bone fractures in 14 wild birds of different species and ages by bone muffs

Abstract

Various kinds of fracture fixation methods have been applied in bird orthopedics. Although each one has comparative advantages and disadvantages, the best results can be obtained with the orthopedic technique chosen according to the location, shape and type of the fracture. In addition, postoperative care of animals, especially rehabilitation of wild birds, will yield positive results. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the advantage of bone muffs in comparison to other routine fracture treatment methods, such as a bandages, intramedullary pins, and cerclage applications. Several wild birds with leg and wing fractures were admitted to the Clinical and Animal Hospital of the F.Ü. Veterinary Faculty between 1986 and 2011, and were treated with bandages, cerclage, and intramedullary pin techniques. Of these, 14 birds were treated with bone muffs. The animals were anesthetized for osteosynthesis with Pentobarbital (Nembutal sodium 50 mg/cc, ABBOTT) or ketamine (ketalar 50 mg/ml PARKE-DAVİS). Appropriately sized cattle and bird bone muffs were firmly fixated onto fractured bone fragments and their recovery was monitored. After the operation, the animals were taken for post-operative care. Animals with muff transplants did not need to be treated with bandages, and hence they were calmer, more comfortable and healed quickly. In birds treated with a bone muff, the bone to which the muff was applied was observed by histopathology to have normal callus formation and it was reported that a bone callus formed at that region. On the other hand, animals treated with other routine fracture management methods and bandaged animals were uncomfortable, aggressive, and were observed to be under stress. These bandaged birds had a longer recovery time, and during this time, most of the animals refused to eat and died. Due to the bandage, the animals could not find their balance on a single wing, they became disturbed psychologically, and did not continue to feed, so began to vomit when fed by hand and died in a short time. From this point of view, bone muffs provided significant advantages over other routine applications, as they did not cause psychological stress to animals because they were light and the birds did not require bandages, and they were easily resorbed because they were made of bone tissue. Recovery time was also shorter. The study showed that bone muffs may be better than conservative treatment, however, further research is needed as real long-term results are lacking.