Pelvic trauma is a common presentation in small animal practice, typically occurring secondary to a blunt force trauma such as a road traffic accident. It is important to recognise that due to the large extrinsic force required to luxate or fracture components of the pelvis, patients presenting with acute traumatic pelvic injury frequently have injuries to other body systems. Concurrent injuries may include spinal/neurological injuries, long bone fractures or joint luxations, abdominal or thoracic trauma, or urinary tract injury. The pelvis is a box-like structure, consisting of the sacroiliac joints, ilial wings and bodies, acetabulae and coxofemoral joints, pubic and ischial bones. In most cases of pelvic trauma, multiple fractures are identified,often involving both sides of the pelvis. Fractures usually will require repair if they are involved in the weight-bearing axis of the limb (i.e sacroiliac joint, ilial body and acetabulum). Fractures of the pubic floor or ischial bones alone rarely necessitate repair.
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