Advice needed (not happy with vet re dog with broken leg)

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Navalgem

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www.addienasporthorses.com
My dog was involved in an rta and fractured her femur in one place, vet pinned the leg and she came home. within 24 hours there was a gaping hole where the pin had been put in (had been stitched), took dog back to vets and they stapled it, 24 hours later the staples were out (dog had a buster collar on and was kept in the cage except to go to the toilet), back to vets and they said to leave it alone. She was at the vets after that every week (this is the 23rd day since the accident) and last time was 5 days ago. I expressed concerns that she wasnt really walking on it and the pin seemed to be moving up closer to the hole. Last night the pin came through the hole slightly, by this morning it was 15mm out, back to vets and it was an inch out the hole. They've taken her in and x-rayed her and found the end of the pin is now right where the break is and is healing with a bend. They are keeping her in overnight with the idea of removing the pin and putting a frame on. The vet said if the frame didn't work then she could have to have her leg amputated. This dog is 8 months old and yes I know they can function pretty well with three legs but that isn't my point. My concern is that the op must not have been done right in the 1st place, after all, it hasn't healed with a bend in 24 hours. So do I let them go ahead or do I move her to a different practice?
 
I'd be tempted to move. I know it's hard containing a young dog with a tricky break but you appear to have done everything right and it doesn't sound good at all.
To put it in perspective, our old bitch had a smashed front leg pinned (also an RTA) back in the dark old ages :p (mid 1980s) at a very similar age, think she was nine months and she lived to 14 with no problems whatsoever and definitely no holes in her leg.
 
If you are unhappy with the progress your dog has/has not made then get a second opinion,it is important for you to trust and have confidence in the practice you use.
 
I too had a whippet, she smashed her front leg clean in half and it was pretty badly bodged and ended up like a banana and she was in pain, my option was to amputate and instead I took her to a specialist and he re broke and placed a fixator on, it cost £1200 but worth it, she was back to normal function once the fixator was off.
Is she insured?
 
Defo look for a specialist! I'd be ruddy horrified! No way should the pins be coming out: they should be pinned firmly in place in order to help heal the bone. I'm afraid that I would want an orthopaedic surgeon to see the dog, as we did when our dog had his cruciates replaced.

Like GPs, lots of vets don't have specialist knowledge and I think you should have been referred or at least given the option of it.
 
Navalgem,

if you expressed your concerns, and you were told that everything was fine, which in reality means that you were ignored, then the responsibility lies squarely with the vet.

Had you not taken the dog back in, and then subsequently the vet had noticed that the leg had healed, but in a misshapen fashion, then the vet would have quite rightly asked you why you hadn't returned when you knew that something was wrong.

I've seen a few dogs which have lived with only one front leg, and those that I've seen never seem to live to old age. The stresses put on the remaining leg, are such that the ligaments and tendons are put under a strain which they weren't designed for. Collapse is inevitable.

I'm not a vet, but I think that the leg needs to be re-broken and set, and the responsibility is with the vet who ignored your voiced concerns.

Alec.
 
No advice I'm afraid but you're not alone. We're going through the same sort of problems ourselves with a lurcher who broke a bone behind and above his knee (son's dog and he's less than forthcoming about the technical details!) It was x-rayed, put into a plastic splint and bandaged which he's been very good with. Taken back weekly for bandage changes and was re x-rayed nearly a fortnight ago where it's found the bones have moved and are actually overlapping each other, not good 'oh, I didn't notice that on the first x-ray', re-bandage, come back next week to see main vet who operates the next day which should have been done in the first place. Like yours, if this doesn't work it's possible amputation which is down the them. I'm keeping everything crossed that it does work but I'm not holding my breath. Neither dog deserves this level of imcompetence and we certainly pay enough for better treatment.
Vibes on their way to you.
 
I would be asking for immediate referral to an orthopaedic specialist. I think this will make the difference between your dog having 3 legs or 4. :(

Good luck - I am thinking of you.

My dog snapped his front leg totally in half at 7 months old - both bones in a spiral fracture. My own vet x-rayed and splinted him and then referred us to a specialist - he had surgery and a plate with 5 screws put in, which was then removed 6 weeks later. He is now fine - you wouldnt know it had happened.

It was costly but it saved a very damaged leg.
 
Thank you everyone, she's currently being moved to a specialist, who is going to rebreak the leg and plate it, apparantly pins do come out or move quite often. I just wish I'd been informed of this is the first place and given the option of referring her to a specialist. Will let you know how it goes.

Vibes for your Lurcher too Maesfan, and yes we definitely pay enough for better treatment than we've recieved. I've paid 1k so far.....
 
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