Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
West Highland white terrier with lobster-claw paw treated by surgery
By Barrand, K R·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2004·Fenwold Veterinary Group·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Ectrodactyly in a West Highland white terrier.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A West Highland white terrier was brought in with a rare condition called ectrodactyly, which caused a deformity in one of its front legs, resembling a lobster claw. The veterinarian performed a soft tissue reconstruction to fix the cleft in the leg. After the surgery, the dog developed a slight bend in its wrist but was still able to walk normally, experiencing only mild limping after intense play. This case is notable as it is the first time this type of surgery has been reported for this condition in dogs.
People also search for: West Highland white terrier leg deformity · dog cleft reconstruction · why is my dog limping after exercise
Abstract
A case of monomelic forelimb ectrodactyly (lobster-claw deformity) in a West Highland white terrier is reported. Clinical and radiographic findings are described. The dog was treated with a soft tissue reconstruction of the cleft. It later developed a slight varus-type deformity at the carpus but remained sound with occasional bouts of mild lameness following vigorous exercise. To the author's knowledge, this is the first reported case of canine ectrodactyly treated by simple cleft reconstruction, and only the second report of ectrodactyly in this breed.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15206479/