Fractured Leg (ulna And Radius Bones)

[keroppiyo]

Hi everyone. My 8 month old Samoyed, Buffy, fractured her radius and ulna bones today. The vet said she could either get a cast, or metal plates put in, but recommended the plates. I need to decide what to do by tomorrow morning, but leaning towards the plates. Has anyone had a similar injury, and how did you go about treating it? Thanks

[Kavik]

My GSD got a spiral fracture in his hind leg when 6 months - choices were a cast or external fixatur. External fixatur was recommended as it was a young large dog with lots of growing to do. Cast would have to be redone regularly and dog may try to eat it (likely he would have seeing what he did to the vet wrap around external fixatur and his bedding at the time ). We went with external fixatur. MUCH more expensive but worth it - his leg is fine (he is now 6) he can run and jump no problem - only way you can tell is that there is still a screw in there you can feel and his hock does have more movement when he walks than the other side but you would have to be really looking for it to see it.

[shantiah]

I would definately plate.

A vet explained to me the other day that if the bones are displaced then it is much better to plate as if you cast it can take a very long time for the bones to rejoin.

[horus]

I have a 4 year old boy here that had a plate put in his leg about 3 weeks ago. The result is amazing, he went from having a leg shaped like a 'z' to virtually normal (apart from the swelling, most of which went down within a few days). He was putting weight on the leg within a few days, although he still carried the leg most of the time. Today he was running on the leg but I still need to keep him under control for a couple of weeks yet. The wound healed within 10 days after the op.

He had a cast on prior to the operation which he was OK with, but it still obviously annoyed him, whereas he had a bandage on his leg up until he had the stitches removed at 10 days after the op. Vet said that he should recover and have no obvious after effects. The only risk is that the screws holding the plate in place may come loose and the plate would then need to be removed, otherwise it stays in place for life.

The operation was expensive but worthwhile for his health's sake. Without the plate he would have had to live with a crooked leg for life.

Here's a pic of Oscar 10 days after his operation, the stitches were removed earlier that day.

[keroppiyo]

Thanks everyone. I think I've decided on the plates. My only concern before was perhaps the higher chance of infection with the plates, as they would have to perform surgery to insert them. But everyone and everywhere I've read have recommended the plates, and it's reassuring to know that your dogs have healed nicely after the surgery. I just hope I can limit her activity for the 6-8 weeks after surgery...

[Kelly_Louise]

I would plate. Helps secure the bone nicely. Casts can be awkward and cumbersome... and if your dog is anything like my Chloe - she chewed hers off the first night and I was up at 4am trying to cut the rest off with blunt scissors (the only ones I could find in the house of course).

Chloe's was for cruciate surgery, but still her leg was 'broken' in order to turn the bone and cut out a wedge... so she was plated and casted. Plates were fabulous and have had no problems with them.

Just need to be careful if you plate with anything high impact as it can cause the screws to dislodge (and they WILL try to do too much as they will feel better long before they are healed). Well it was a precaution we were given, but many years after her surgery, with high/medium/low impact and her plates are still firmly secure

[Kelly_Louise]

just hope I can limit her activity for the 6-8 weeks after surgery...

THAT'S the hard part

[ellz]

Would definitely recommend plates.

My old deceased Staffordshire Bull Terrier shattered his elbow at 17 weeks of age. His elbow was plated, pinned and screwed. He recovered completely with a minimum of fuss and a fairly long rehab period of gentle walking and swimming after the initial crate only period of 6 weeks. We opted to leave the hardware in place at the end of his recovery time. They literally just pulled out the pins, filed down the screws and put in a couple of stitches to close the holes.

He hit the showring for the first time at 10 months of age and nobody could even tell he had been injured. Including the judge who awarded him Best In Specialty Show in an entry of 191 Staffords.

If you look at his show side front leg, you can't even see the scar!