Abstract
Abstract The aim of the present study was to perform the macroscopic and microstructural morphological classification of long bone fractures of Cerdocyon thous. Eighteen cadavers of the species were necropsied, and subjected to radiographic and microscopical evaluation when long bone fractures were detected. Among the 18 cadavers, eight (44%) had fractures equally distributed (33.33%) in the femur, humerus, or tibia. More frequently (61.54%), the fractures were simple and affected the diaphysis, and in smaller proportions (23.08%) reached the physeal line. In diaphyseal and metaphyseal fractures, microscopical evaluation revealed cortical bone tissue, with longitudinal osteons that contained longitudinal and intermediate collagen fibres and lamellae with a delamination aspect. On the other hand, in epiphyseal fractures, trabecular bone tissue was more frequently observed, consisting of trabeculae with disorganised collagen fibres and absence of osteons. In both cases low activity, osteocytes, and low coverage of osteoblasts on the bone surface were noted. It was concluded that the frequency of fractures in the long bones of C. thous was 44%, with females being more predisposed. The findings support the hypothesis that fractures in such animals are caused by being run over by automobiles. The present study contributes significantly in alerting clinicians and surgeons to the types of fractures that C. thous is more predisposed to, its places of greatest occurrence, and its microstructure. Thus, there is a need for joint actions aimed at reducing the number of cases of wild animals being run over by automobiles.
Highlights
The crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) is one of the six species of wild canids inhabiting South America, being characterized as medium in size, with opportunistic habits and generalist feeding, ranging from fruits, eggs, invertebrates, to small mammals[1]
Assuming that the occurrence of bone fractures in wild canids is related to being run over by automobiles, the aim of the present study was to perform a morphological, macroscopic, and microstructural classification of long bone fractures of Cerdocyon thous to determine the frequency of their occurrence and elucidate the mechanisms of tissue rupture and its relationship with trauma related to being run over by automobiles
We used 18 cadavers of Cerdocyon thous, obtained through donations made by the Sooretama Biological Reserve (n=11), Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA) (n=2), and the Hospital Veterinário of Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (n=5)
Summary
The crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) is one of the six species of wild canids inhabiting South America, being characterized as medium in size, with opportunistic habits and generalist feeding, ranging from fruits, eggs, invertebrates, to small mammals[1]. Despite the wide range of environments in which it can be found, the species suffers constant threats to its preservation. When considering the impact of trauma, being run over represents one of the main causes of death for C. thous. The rate of reported deaths caused by run-over accidents for this species can reach up to 79.5% of the total number of reported animal deaths[3]. In the Espírito Santo State, Martinelli and Volpi[4] reported a mortality rate of 14.54% for C. thous in relation to other species that are victims of trauma resulting from automobile accidents, while Ferreira et al[5] reported that 25.58% of running over accidents involve the species
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