The volume of autologous cancellous bone graft (ACBG) obtainable from different areas of the appendicular skeleton has not been documented in veterinary medicine. This study aims to compare the volume of bone graft that can be harvested from reported appendicular sites: proximal humerus, ilium, proximal femur, distal femur, and proximal tibia, and determine whether the amount collected would vary between individuals. We also evaluated the inter-individual variability of harvesting bone graft. We hypothesized that the proximal humerus and ilium would yield the largest volume compared to the other sites and that there would not be a significant difference between participants in the volume collected per site. Five participants collected bone graft from both sides of 25 beagle dogs. The time to finish the collection was also recorded. The volume of graft collected was quantified using fluid displacement and compression methods. The proximal humerus yielded the largest volume of graft material followed by the distal femur. The ilium and proximal femur yielded the smallest volume of cancellous bone graft. The collection speed from the proximal tibia was significantly faster than collection from the humerus, ilium, and distal femur, followed by collection from the proximal femur. Model variability was mainly attributed to residual variance and participant variance with individuals having a significant effect on sampling volumes and collection speed. Taking more time to harvest led to collecting more ACBG, regardless of experience level. When a large volume of graft is desired, the proximal humerus seems the most appropriate for harvest.
