Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with chronic forelimb disuse developed elbow bone overgrowth
By Eom, Tae-Yoon et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2026·Department of Veterinary Surgery, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Case Report: Secondary ulnar overgrowth and elbow incongruity following chronic forelimb disuse in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 12-month-old neutered male Toy Poodle was brought in because he couldn't put weight on his right front leg due to a long-standing shoulder injury. X-rays showed that his shoulder joint had not healed properly, leading to a deformity and an unusual growth of the ulna bone in his forelimb. The veterinarian performed surgery to fix the shoulder and correct the bone alignment. After a month of recovery, the dog was able to walk normally, and follow-up exams showed that his leg functioned well without any lameness even 15 months later.
People also search for: Toy Poodle leg lameness · dog shoulder injury treatment · dog elbow surgery recovery
Abstract
Chronic limb disuse during the active growth phase can induce complex secondary deformities, including paradoxical bone overgrowth. A 12-month-old neutered male Toy Poodle presented with non-weight-bearing right forelimb lameness resulting from a chronic shoulder malunion following failed stabilization of a medial luxation. Computed tomography revealed a complete nonunion of the shoulder joint with severe varus deformity, alongside a significant secondary ulnar overgrowth (6.08% elongation compared with the contralateral ulna) that created a functional 'short-radius' configuration and elbow incongruity. A combined surgical approach was employed: shoulder arthrodesis was performed utilizing patient-specific 3D-printed osteotomy and reduction guides to ensure precise alignment and fixation at a target angle of 105°, concurrent with a proximal ulnar osteotomy to restore ulnar congruity. Postoperative recovery was rapid, with functional weight-bearing observed at 1 month. At 9 months postoperatively, the dog exhibited normal limb function without lameness, and radiographs confirmed solid arthrodesis and corrected elbow alignment. These findings remained unchanged at 15 months postoperatively. This case highlights chronic disuse as a potential etiology for paradoxical ulnar overgrowth and demonstrates a successful combined surgical strategy for the management of complex, multi-joint limb deformities.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42158324/