Small Animal Orthopaedics Q&A 06

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A craniocaudal view radiograph of the left elbow of a six-year-old, male Cocker Spaniel that developed an acute non-weight-bearing lameness of the left forelimb while chasing a ball in the owner’s yard.

Question	Answer		Article
Describe the fracture.	There is an intra-articular fracture of the lateral portion of the left humeral condyle (capitulum) extending through the lateral epicondylar crest. The capitulum is displaced proximally.		[[|Link to Article]]
Why are Spaniels predisposed to this particular injury, often as a result of minor trauma?	It has long been recognized that fractures of the humeral condyle often occur with minimal trauma and that humeral condylar fractures frequently occur in Spaniels. A developmental defect of the humeral condyle termed ‘incomplete ossification’ has been described in Spaniels. As the humeral condyle mineralizes in puppies, the two (capitulum and trochlea) ossification centers should unite at 70 ± 14 days after birth. Their bone architecture should become continuous. In Spaniels the connection between the lateral and medial portions of the humeral condyle may be purely fibrous and contain little or no bone. This weak connection predisposes the condyle to fracture with minimal trauma.		[[|Link to Article]]