Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with leg and eye injuries first thought to have bone disease
By Roth, Ira & Martin, Janet·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2018·From the Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (I.R.); and Athens Area Humane Society, Athens, Georgia (J.M.)., United States·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: A Case of Animal and Domestic Abuse Initially Diagnosed as Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 1-year-old male Shih Tzu was brought in for limping on his right back leg and bleeding in his right eye. Initially, the vet thought he had a common hip problem, but after a follow-up visit, they found more serious injuries, including fractures in both back legs and signs of past trauma. Further investigation revealed that the dog had been subjected to abuse, which was linked to domestic violence in the home. The case highlights the importance of veterinarians being aware of signs of abuse in pets.
People also search for: Shih Tzu limping · dog eye bleeding · signs of animal abuse · dog leg fractures treatment · domestic violence and pets
Abstract
ABSTRACT A 1 yr old castrated male shih tzu was evaluated for an acute right rear limb lameness and hyphema in the anterior chamber of the right eye. On initial examination, the dog was non-weight bearing on his right rear limb. Ophthalmic examination revealed a centrally located, superficial corneal ulcer in the right eye and blood in the anterior chamber. Radiographic findings of the pelvis and right rear were suggestive of avascular necrosis of the right femoral neck with resultant fracture and possible avascular necrosis of the left femoral neck. The dog presented 20 days later for evaluation of an acute left rear limb lameness. A left distal femur Salter-Harris type II fracture; a nondisplaced, healing right pubic fracture; and a healing right zygomatic arch transverse fracture were seen on radiographs. The dog’s initial injuries were attributed to a routine fall at home, and radiographic interpretation suggested that this was plausible. Subsequent patient visits, evaluation of additional injuries, and interviews with the owner indicated that both animal and domestic abuse had occurred. Veterinarians must be alert to recognize signs of animal abuse and must be aware of the connection between animal and domestic abuse.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.5326/jaaha-ms-6611