Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Elbow joint dislocation fixed with pins in 10-week-old dog
By Miyazaki, Yuta et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2025·From the Department of Surgery, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Treatment of Congenital Humeroulnar Elbow Luxation (Type II) Using Antiluxation Pins in a 10-Week-Old Dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 10-week-old male Shih Tzu was brought in for severe limping on his right front leg. X-rays showed that his elbow joint was dislocated, so the vet put it back in place and secured it with special pins to keep it stable. Just five days after the surgery, the puppy's limping improved significantly. The pins were removed a month later, and by the time of the final check-up at nearly seven years old, the dog was no longer limping, although he had some mild stiffness in the elbow. This treatment method helped the puppy recover quickly and maintain good movement in his leg.
People also search for: puppy limping front leg · Shih Tzu elbow dislocation treatment · dog elbow surgery recovery
Abstract
A 10 wk old male shih tzu (1.9 kg) was presented for severe non-weight-bearing lameness of the right thoracic limb. Radiographs revealed luxation of the right humeroulnar joint (type II), with severe external rotation of the proximal ulna. The ulna was manually reduced to achieve articulation with the medial part of the humeral condyle under general anesthesia, which was maintained by two positive-profile threaded pins placed into the lateral part of the humeral condyle in a caudal to cranial direction ("stopper" antiluxation pins). The lameness improved at 5 days postoperatively. One pin appeared loose radiographically and both pins were removed at 30 days postoperatively. The dog showed no lameness with mildly limited range of motion with radiographic findings including the mild residual humeroulnar incongruity and degenerative joint disease at the final follow-up (6.8 yr postoperatively). We propose that this extra-articular method to prevent luxation is advantageous for its minimal adverse effect on elbow range of motion, as compared with the previously described methods including transarticular pinning and external fixators. This case report describes a novel treatment option for congenital humeroulnar luxation in very young dogs that maintains reduction and allows early return to function.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40304445/