Hock fusing in dogs. experiences??

[Dizzydancer]

Hi guys after a long 10 weeks we finally know what is wrong with our limping newfy. Thankfully it isnt any type of cancer. It seems along time since the start but we have had a lot of family things going on preventing us getting upto liverpool and she has been managed by our vets until we were able to go.
Basically she had a CT scan done yesterday and they have said hock joint has formed new bony growth which is affecting the ligaments going down the outside of the joint. They took fluid which maybe shows an infection if it does antibiotics of a massive dose for min 12weeks will be given, If not she goes back next week for hock fusing. Iv known it done to horses but never to dogs.
Anyone had it done to there dog? Any experiences how it affected them afterwards? Can they stil bend that leg? I know she will limp forever once done but 2 days ago we ddnt think she would be coming back from liverpool!

 

[Mynstrel]

Possibly not the same but dad's old girl snapped a tendon/ligament & dislocated her hock when running - it went with such a twang that the bottom of the leg basically ricochetted upwards so that her that the toes of her foot were almost touching her belly & her leg basically bent double at the hock with the lower part coming forwards & up I never want to hear a scream like that again

We took her to the vet expecting her to lose the leg because it looked so wrong but they referred us to a speciaist who plated the leg back together so that it would fuse, apparently it's a common thing that's done these days in sheepdogs, they dislocate hocks putting legs down rabbit holes & things.

He didn't give it a name so I can't be sure it's the same but if that's what you'll be having done it'll be fine (hope it is & I'm not getting your hopes up), she didn't limp at all & the only way you could tell was by a slight thickening of the bone where it had fused & you could feel the screw heads if you ran your hand over the leg. The hock joint in dogs isn't as mobile as horses so it's not so much of a problem as you'd expect.

Hope that helps

Meg's injury was the week before christmas & she restarted her agility career in May the following year (over smaller fences than previously but she competed for another 5 years nearly).

PS - just noticed where you are, if they refer you to Rutland house at St Helens they're brilliant!