Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog walks normally after digital pad transfer and wound therapy
By Or, M et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative orthopaedics and traumatology : V.C.O.T·2015·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pedicle digital pad transfer and negative pressure wound therapy for reconstruction of the weight-bearing surface after complete digital loss in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A young Labrador Retriever had severe tissue damage on its back foot due to a bandage that cut off blood flow. The vet amputated some toes but saved the pads to create a new weight-bearing surface on the foot. They used negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) to help the healing process. Within four days, the pads were securely attached, and after three months, the area healed well enough for the dog to walk and run comfortably. At a nine-month check-up, the foot pad was thick and healthy, allowing the dog to move without any signs of pain.
People also search for: dog foot injury treatment · Labrador toe amputation recovery · negative pressure wound therapy for dogs
Abstract
A young Labrador Retriever was presented for treatment of severe distal hindlimb necrosis caused by bandage ischemia. During digit amputation at the metatarsophalangeal joints, the third and fourth digital pads were salvaged and transferred to the metatarsal stump to create a weight-bearing surface. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) was utilized for flap immobilization and to promote granulation tissue in the remaining wound defect. Sturdy adherence of the digital pads was achieved after only four days. The skin defect healed completely by second intention and the stump was epithelialized with a thin pad after three months. At the nine month follow-up examination, the stump had a thick hyperkeratinized pad. The dog walked and ran without any apparent signs of discomfort and compensated for the loss of limb length by extending the stifle and tarsocrural joints. Despite a challenging wound in a difficult anatomical location, digital pad flap transfer and NPWT proved successful in restoring long-term ambulation in an active large breed dog.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25449188/