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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Siberian Husky with rare ankle fracture and joint instability

By Kolichis, J M·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2025·Veterinary Referral Hospital, Australia·View original on PubMed

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Original publication title: Longitudinal split fracture of the lateral malleolus causing tarsocrural subluxation in a Siberian Husky.

Species:
dog
Movement & jointsDogs

Plain-English summary

A 4-year-old Siberian Husky was brought to the vet after being hit by a car, suffering serious injuries to both back legs. The right leg had a severe injury that required a special frame to stabilize the joint, while the left leg had a rare fracture that needed surgical repair with pins and wire to fix the joint. After 8 weeks, the surgical hardware was removed, and at the 8-month check-up, the dog was doing well and able to move normally again.

People also search for: Siberian Husky leg injury treatment · dog hock fracture recovery · dog surgery after car accident

Abstract

A 4-year-old Siberian Husky was referred for bilateral hock trauma after being involved in a road traffic accident. The dog sustained a grade 3 shearing injury to the medial right hock with tibiotarsal subluxation, which was managed with a transarticular frame. The left hock sustained a rare open longitudinal split fracture of the lateral malleolus, resulting in lateral tarsocrural instability. The fracture was repaired directly with cross pins and a figure-of-eight tension band wire, which restored joint congruency and stability. All implants were removed after 8 weeks. The dog had a good functional outcome at 8-month follow-up. Based on a search of the veterinary literature, this is the first published report of such a lateral malleolar fracture configuration in dogs.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39776415/