Non-fatal fractures in limb bones may heal naturally and are recognized by callus formation in a variable degree. What percentage of a natural population shows such naturally healed fractures? Is there a publication on this topic?
Dear Alexandra
This article may be useful for you
Thiruthalinathan, R and D.Swaminathan (1996) Tibial fracture and its treatment in Sambar Deer (cervus unicorns)- Case report. Indian Journal of Veterinary Research 5(2): 42-43
Do you, or somebody else, happen to have a pdf of that article? Does it describe the sambar's performance and behaviour in the wild prior to the treatment? I'm interested in cases of healed fractures in the wild, as they inform about the role of predators and other factors. Animals with broken limbs make them easy prey, so you would expect the incidence of success in the form of healed fractures practically zero, yet you find them in the fossil record.
Sandra, take a look at
Kierdorf U., Kahlke R.-D., Flohr S. (2012): Healed fracture of the tibia in a bison (Bison menneri Sher, 1997) from the late Early Pleistocene site of Untermassfeld (Thuringia, Germany). International Journal of Paleopathology, 2 (1): 19-24. doi:10.1016/j.ijpp.2012.03.001
They cite several articles that you may find useful.
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