Pelvic fractures are common injuries after road traffic accidents in dogs and cats; we see them all the time at West Midlands Referrals. The pelvis almost always breaks in at least two places and usually more.
One common component in a pelvic fracture is a fracture involving the iliac wings, the flattish bones that form the walls of the pelvis. The iliac wings link the ball and socket joints on each side with the sacrum and the vertebrae at the bottom of the spinal column. As such, the iliac wings are the route by which force is transmitted from the back legs to the rest of the body. They are essential to the integrity of the weight-bearing axis of structures.
When the iliac wing fractures and causes loss of weight bearing, there can be a severe compromise to the dimensions of the pelvis. If the pelvic dimension aren’t restored, this can have big implications for the passage of faeces (and foetuses in un-neutered females) along the pelvis in future.
When the iliac wing fractures, this can lead to severe damage/pressure on the significant nerve trunk to the hind limb on that side, which causes pain and dysfunction.
30th November 2014
