[Watson03]

Well, four vets and three vet clinics later, we finally have an answer to Watson's bent leg. His growth plate was injured, which caused one bone to stop growing, but the other bone kept growing which then started to bend to compinsate. So the result is: he has to have surgery. The vet well break his bone, then put pins in his elbow and knee, and hold it all together with an external fixiter. I am kind of worried about recover and other side effects. Has any one ever heard of this surgery or had it done? Any extra info would be great.

 

[TrudiRose]

Norton had the exact same condition: it's called "premature closure of the distal ulnar physis." The ulnar plate is damaged, so the ulna stops growing, but the radius continues to grow. The ulna and radius are attached, so the non-growing ulna pulls on the growing radius, which starts to bend.

Since Norton was still a puppy (eight months), the surgeon did an ulnar osteotomy, which means cutting a little of the ulna bone to release the radius so it has a chance to grow straight.

How old is Watson? It sounds like he's an adult dog, so I guess the ulnar osteotomy wouldn't work because the radius is already finished growing. So they're surgically fixing the bone.

Good luck to you. When is he having the surgery done? Please keep me posted!

 

[winnieslo]

One of my foster hounds had the same problem/surgery before he came to me. I couldn't see much of an improvement...the leg remained very deformed...but it bothered me more than it did Plato...and it didn't interfer with adoption, he found a home quickly

Judy