Any experience/knowledge re hind leg fractures?

JanetGeorge

JanetGeorge

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I'm absolutely gutted! My terrier popped under my car the other day and his hind leg is broken just below the hock. X-rays show tib and fib broken and several chips. Vet at local practice wouldn't operate to repair it - would recommend amputation - but I don't trust him enough to act on his opinion. So tomorrow I have an appointment with Jock Queen at Worcester and I HOPE he can give me better news. Benny has been at my vets since the accident on Saturday night - on painkillers etc and strapped up - he's very bright and only 4 years old. Cost is not an issue.

Any experiences, thoughts on this?
 
I'm so sorry Benny is injured. I've no experience or advice but hope he makes a speedy recovery.

FWIW I think you're doing the right thing getting a second opinion.
 
My brothers dog got hit by a car, broke his pelvis, he was on cage rest for about 8 wks, major ordeal for everyone although he is ok now.
Hope your boy will be ok.
 
Poor doggie, what bad luck!

No experience with this, but I think you are definitely doing the right thing going for a specialist second opinion. Hopefully it will be good news but if it comes down to amputation dogs cope very well on three legs. I hope he makes a quck recovery!
 
Poor doggie :(

Friends lab was caught under car and smashed hind leg, it was operated on and a pin/plate was put in - this happened a couple of years ago and lab is a working gundog/family dog and you would only guess she was injured by the faint outline of a scar on her hind leg.

She has no issues and after the op was kept in cage for a while. The pin/plate option worked fantastically well for her, so you should mention that to the vets; i will add that our vets our fantastic and have also previously mended a broken leg in a ferret (another dog got a bit hungry but fortunately stopped in time) with a pin in the leg but that was done for research i think. Ferret had a very happy life post op and was fully mobile :)
 
I wonder if it's the presence of loose chips which has prompted your vet's response. The problem with these chips could be that, logically, as they're pieces of bone and so when they are removed, perhaps the knitting together of the main structure will be that much more difficult, or even impossible. You'll know more, later on today.

From the amputation aspect, I suspect that your dog's fortunate that it was a hind leg, as most dogs seem to cope quite well with only one. Most terriers seem to spend most of their lives on three legs anyway. ;) Front legs are often a different matter, dogs do seem to struggle with only one, and the removal of one puts a disproportionate strain on the other.

I'd be interested to hear the upshot of the second opinion.

Alec.
 
I do, but with a cat. Very nasty fracture, which was wired/ pinned. Cat was supposed to be in a cage but he would not tolerate, spent all his time on hind legs trying to get out. So let him out, and he then relaxed and slept. He was in a lot of pain for 2 weeks or so, I doubted my decision and thought that amputation would have been kinder, but he did get better. Recovery took longer than vet first estimated, but was a full recovery. He was under 2 when he had his accident, and lived till 15 with no further issues at all. I wish you and Benny good luck for the vet today, I'm sure you will lake the right decision for him.
 
My elderly (15 at the time) JRT broke a hind leg very badly by getting in the middle of a horse ruckus. She was operated on by a specialist orthopaedic vet from Shrewsburywho came and performed the operation at my vets. She had 6 weeks with an external fixator and a bright purple vetrap bandage :) Cost a fortune but 18 months on there are no on-going effects apart from the fact that she walks a little bandy legged behind. Ask your vet to refer you Janet, if he doesn't know who it is, mine was through Tern vets in Market Drayton, I'm sure they will give you the details, or I can get them for you if you would rather.
 
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My Friend has a lurcher that really smashed her leg. Her own Vet recommended amputation but Jock Queen did a brilliant repair job and you would never know the extent of the damage apart from the scarring. Good luck.
 
Well I just got back from Worcester - very impressed (so far) with Jock Queen. He's operating - wouldn't decide whether internal plates or external support until he actually sees the bone and which option more suitable. He didn't think at this stage that amputation was a necessary option, thankfully!

Will update once we know!
 
That's a good start.

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you both and will keep checking for updates.

Best wishes for a full recovery
 
Diddleydoo said:
That's a good start.

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you both and will keep checking for updates.

Best wishes for a full recovery
Click to expand...

Well he came home yesterday. Had to have external support for the fracture as the bones weren't sitable for internal plates. He's a bit quiet and subdued - and HATES being in a large crate most of the time - but hopefully he'll settle to it (rather than getting VERY cross and noisy!) and he can quietly mend!
 
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