Determinación de las propiedades estructurales y mecánicas del fémur de caninos (canis lupus familiaris) a través de ensayos experimentales de compresión.

Abstract

The present study aimed to analyze the geometric and mechanical properties of the canine femur, through morphological and structural characterization and the evaluation of its behavior under axial compression. Thirty-two femurs from 16 dogs of different ages, sexes, and sizes were studied, also differentiating between the types of fractures resulting from the tests. To this end, length and cross-sectional area measurements were taken, and controlled loads were applied in a masonry press at the FIC laboratory. The results show that the femurs measured an average of 14.98 cm in length, with a cross-sectional area of 4.39 cm². The average force supported was 0.43 kN, the specific strength was 11.69 kg/cm², and the average deformation was 0.37 mm. It was observed that the small dogs, despite their low absolute strength, exhibited high relative strength and deformability. In contrast, large dogs showed lower strength per unit area and less elasticity, being more prone to fractures under direct impacts. The medium-sized group was the most biomechanically balanced. Females demonstrated greater structural uniformity, while males showed more dispersion in the results. The most frequent fracture patterns were long oblique fractures in the midshaft. In young animals, Salter Harris-type fractures were identified, associated with open physes. These findings are relevant to veterinary orthopedics, as they allow for establishing relationships between bone morphology, age, body size, and bone strength, which is important for the development of future prostheses.