Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Working farm dogs return to work after femur fracture surgery
By Davis, S & Worth, A J·Published in New Zealand veterinary journal·2009·Institute of Veterinary·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Successful return to work after surgical repair of fracture of the medial condyle of the distal femur in two working farm dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old male Collie and a 2-year-old female Huntaway were brought in for severe lameness in a hind leg after getting injured while jumping or falling. Both dogs had pain and swelling around the knee, and X-rays showed fractures in the same area of the femur. They underwent surgery to fix the fractures and repair torn ligaments, which involved using special pins and screws. Both dogs recovered well and were able to return to their work within six months, although one later had to be euthanized for unrelated health issues. The other dog remained active and healthy two years after the surgery.
People also search for: dog hind leg injury treatment · Collie knee surgery recovery · Huntaway lameness after fall
Abstract
CASE HISTORY: A 5-year-old male Heading dog (working Collie) and a 2-year-old female Huntaway each presented with non-weight-bearing lameness of a hindlimb after jumping or falling with the leg trapped in a gate or motorbike carrier. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Pain and swelling were localised to the stifle, and radiographs revealed a fracture of the medial condyle of the distal femur in each case. DIAGNOSIS: Medial unicondylar, intra-articular fractures of the distal femur. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Open reduction and internal fixation provided an excellent outcome in each case. Open reduction was achieved after elevation of the insertion of the medial collateral ligament from the proximal tibia. Both cases had severe tears to the caudal pole of the medial meniscus, requiring partial meniscectomy. Internal fixation was applied using either divergent K-wires and a biodegradable pin, or a lag-screw technique. The medial collateral ligament was reattached using a 3.5-mm cancellous screw and spiked washer. The therapeutic outcome, i.e. clinical result and return to work, was determined by gait assessment, physical examination, radiography, and an owner's questionnaire. Both working dogs became sound and successfully returned to full work within 6 months of surgery. One dog was subject to euthanasia due to unrelated disease one year after surgery, but the other dog was working fully at 2 years post-operatively; radiography showed osteoarthrosis (OA) but manipulation revealed near-normal range of motion and no loss of muscling.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19252545/