Case 18: Spiral fracture of tibial shaft
‘ELLIE' Labrador, Chocolate, Female, 06/10/06.
Roundhurst, Haslemere, Surrey
09/ 01/ 07 ; Emergency Acute lameness Right hind, whilst out on 1st walk. Sedate to x-ray = Spiral fracture of tibial shaft. Applied Robert Jones dressing to support, until surgery tomorrow. Hospitalised.
10/01/07 ; GA Repair fracture, medial approach, 2 x screws + cerclage wire, Robert Jones dressing. Inj Ceporex. Hospitalised.
11/01/07; Hospitalise inj Ceporex
12/01/07 ; inj Ceporex, Home with cage Ceporex 250mg 1 BID.
18/01/07 ; Sedate to redress & check x-ray, good callus forming around fracture site.
29/01/07 ; Sedate to redress & x-ray, doing very well, ½ sutures out, ½ size dressing.
05/02/07 ; remove dressing.
Top of thigh; Right = 28 cm Left = 31 cm.
Stifle; Right = 18.5 cm Left = 29 cm
Hock; Right =14 cm Left = 14cm
| DATE | SESSION NUMBER |
SPEED (k/h) |
DURATION (MINUTES) |
NOTES |
| 06/02/07 | 1 | 3.0 | 6 |
Holding leg up, ? habit. Very excitable! Tends to wobble on leg if wags tail too much! Right anterior hock = some swelling and joint fixation in slight extension advise gentle massage to loosen up. |
| 08/02/07 | 2 | 3.0 3.2 3.4 3.2 |
2 2 4 2 |
Owner been massaging hock, already looks less fixed. Very excitable! Leg movement appears less wobbly & more controlled. |
| 12/02/07 | 3 | 3.0 3.2 3.4 3.2 |
1 5 4 2 |
Very good placing of foot, more controlled, weight bearing very well, stifle & hock still fixed but better, already visible muscle build up. |
| 14/02/07 | 4 | 3.0 3.2 3.4 3.6 3.4 |
1 4 3 2 3 |
Fantastic! |
| 16/02/07 | 5 | 3.0 3.4 3.6 3.4 |
1 2 3 2 |
Stifle ;Right = 22.0 cm (was 18.5cm) Left 27.5 cm(was 29.0cm) Thigh ; Right = 30.0 cm (was28.0 cm) Left = 31.0 cm (was31.0cm) Angle of flexion of hock ; Right = 55degree Left = 65degree |
| 19/02/07 | 6 | 3.4 5.2 3.2 |
7 2 (trotting) 2 |
Still has tendency to rotate stifle & hock laterally when walking, but not as severely, nice movement on trot. |
| 21/02/07 | 7 | 3.4 5.2 3.4 |
4 4 (trotting) 4 |
MAD! Very, very lively & bouncy, jumping up without problem although not ideal! On trot (fantastic front end movement - dead straight), very slight lateral rotation of foot only, still slightly stiff gait, but much improved. |
| 23/02/07 | 8 | 3.4 5.2 3.4 |
3 5 (trotting) 4 |
|
| 26/02/07 | 9 | 3.6 3.4 |
7 3 (1st incline) |
|
| 01/03/07 | 10 | 3.6 3.4 |
7 3 (1st incline) |
|
| 05/03/07 | 11 | 3.6 5.2 3.6 |
5 3 (trotting) 4 (1st incline) |
08/03/07 ; Sedate to x-ray right hind, Leg looks normal! Healed amazingly well, callus resorbed.
Stifle ; Right = 23.5 cm (was 22.0cm) Left = 28.0cm (was 27.5cm)
Hock ; Right = 15.5 cm (was 14.0cm) Left = 15.5 cm (was 14.0 cm)
Flexion of hock ; Right = 65 degree Left = 65 degree EVEN!
As doing so well advise try normal exercise 20 -30 minutes 2 x daily + off lead running, re-ex 2 weeks or before if owner worried.
24/03/07; Check up, Ellie has made an amazing recovery, the leg is fully muscled up, and she is walking normally, the recovery, I am sure was hastened by the use of the treadmill. It is almost (apart from the shorter hair) impossible to tell she had suffered an injury!