## 4 Discussion
### Similarities to and Differences from Other Canine Fracture Studies  
Our findings were highly similar to those of other authors who have researched bone fractures in canines, noting differences that indicate that males are more prone to fractures, constituting 55% of cases; for comparison, the study by [PERSON] et al. [23] reported 60% for males in canine fractures. A pattern was also observed among breeds, with our cases predominantly involving mixed breeds, which consisted of 24.33% (n = 550), and breeds such as the Yorkshire Terrier 10.08% (n = 228), Toy Terrier 6.68% (n = 151), and German Shepherd 8.36% (n = 189), having a higher predisposition to fractures. Based on the analysis conducted by [PERSON] and [PERSON], mixed breeds consisted of almost 53%--including Labrador Retrievers (23.52%), German Shepherds (11.76%), Doberman Pinschers (2.94%), and small breeds such as Pomeranians (5.88%) and Spitzes (2.94%)--in their study [33]. To provide a comprehensive understanding of our findings, we compared the fracture prevalence in our study with the general canine population demographics. Our study sample indicated that males, which constituted 54.58%, had a higher prevalence of fractures. This was analyzed in the context of the general population, where males are also more numerous, thus clarifying whether the higher incidence is due to their majority or an inherent predisposition to fractures. Similarly, a comparative analysis was performed for other variables, such as breed size and age, ensuring a thorough understanding of the fracture risks in relation to the source population. The ages of the animals also matched: in our study, the largest number of dogs were less than 1 year in age, which accounted for 48.07% (n = 2261), and the group of young animals from 1 to 1.5 years of age accounted for 13.18% (n = 298). [PERSON] et al. [20] discovered that the average age was 20 months, with the majority (80%) ranging between 2 and 24 months. The analysis conducted by [PERSON] et al. [21] determined that the median age of dogs at the time of fracture was 4 months. Almost the same results were obtained by a group of epidemiologists who analyzed fractures [24]. Breed size was also a significant factor in our results. From all the analyzed cases, the most common fractures were seen in the elbow 23.13% (n = 523), ulna 15.43% (n = 349), pelvis 10.52% (n = 238), and tibia 12.95% (n = 293) bones between both genders. The ulna fractures represent the combined total of fractures involving the entire ulna, _processus coronoideus_, and _processus anconeus_. This approach ensures a comprehensive assessment of all significant fracture sites within the ulna, providing a detailed understanding of fracture patterns in this bone. According to [PERSON], the humerus, radius, ulna, femur, tibia, and fibula bones are most frequently affected [11]. Almost the same distribution of fractures was observed in an epidemiology-based study [24]. Additionally, the research conducted by [PERSON] and [PERSON] et al. [5] observed and discovered that, in most cases, femur fractures constituted more than 40%. Furthermore, the study also identified common pelvic/sacrum fractures. The causes of the fractures were also compared. For the largest proportion of our analyzed cases, the cause of the fracture was unknown, as most owners could not explain what happened to their pet; these cases constituted 57.45% (n = 1299). Domestic traumas accounted for 21.27% (n = 481), car accidents for 16.94% (n = 383), and assaults by other dogs for 4.33% (n = 98). The most common cause of fractures in the study conducted by [PERSON] et al. [34] was vehicle accidents, which were the cause for almost 80% of canines; [PERSON] et al. [35] demonstrated that the most frequent cause of fractures was fighting with other canines, accounting for 62%. We acknowledge that in busy veterinary clinics, there may be insufficient time to consistently obtain and record the exact causes of fractures.