Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
When is limb amputation and prosthesis an option for pets?
By Desrochers, André et al.·Published in The Veterinary clinics of North America. Food animal practice·2014·Department of Clinical Sciences, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Limb amputation and prosthesis.
Plain-English summary
When a pet suffers a severe injury that can't be fixed, limb amputation can be a better option than putting them to sleep, especially if the cost of treatment is a concern. If a prosthetic limb (an artificial replacement) isn't going to be used, it's usually better to remove the limb closer to the body. If a prosthetic is planned, the amputation needs to be done further down the limb. This article goes over what to think about and how to perform the surgery.
Abstract
Limb amputation is an alternative to euthanasia when catastrophic injury prevents successful restoration of the limb or when cost is an issue. Proximal limb disarticulation for amputation is preferred if a prosthesis is not considered. Distal amputations are needed to accommodate exoskeletal prosthesis. This article reviews the considerations and describes techniques for this surgery.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24534663/