Laurie,
Hi hope you are well and not snowed in. On behalf of another physio we would like to ask your opinion on managing a 5 month pug puppy. Humeral condyle fracture , delay in treatment of 10days. Pinned and plated 7 weeks ago. Has weught beared on it since injury. Functional rom at elbow. Adapted way of walking as per video attached. Proximal limb stability and strength need work of course. Physio intends to support carpal collapse with a neoprene moderate support for general wear and maybe with full support of carpal (and paw?) during physio stabilising exercises but not during walking due to stress it would create more proximally.
What exercises and management plan would you suggest and do you agree on the support ideas? I do have longer video but it huge so would need to cut it down into chunks and send
https://youtu.be/jBvOkZHnsXk
Regards
NE
Puppy Post-Op Elbow Fracture
Re: Puppy Post-Op Elbow Fracture
Hey N,!
Okay… so I would 100% agree with your support ideas. That little carpus needs some help.
In regards to exercise… Might be a good case for swimming. (If his breathing can tolerate it.)
Or UWT if there is a facility near by!
I’d also allow / encourage a good deal of ‘brace off’ bone chewing or the like. Something that would get him to use his carpal flexors but not in a weight bearing position. So peanut butter frozen inside of a kong, or a good meaty bone to chew on.
Depending on how high the carpal support is… or really you can work with whatever… E-stim on the carpal flexors during weight shifting (brace on)… to work on functional stuff.
It’s a catch 22. I’d not want tons of weight bearing on a carpus like that… but you do want to build muscle. (Which again, makes the supports mandatory when the pup is doing any kind of weight bearing.
I’d stick with that for now. In the future you could add some kind of digging type exercises, and of course balance stuff. But for now the main goal has to be NOT over-stretching those carpal ligaments and protecting the joint. So I think you’re on point.
I’m going to post this onto the forum as well. I’ve uploaded the short video to my YouTube page so I have an ability to share it.
Best of luck!
Laurie
Okay… so I would 100% agree with your support ideas. That little carpus needs some help.
In regards to exercise… Might be a good case for swimming. (If his breathing can tolerate it.)
Or UWT if there is a facility near by!
I’d also allow / encourage a good deal of ‘brace off’ bone chewing or the like. Something that would get him to use his carpal flexors but not in a weight bearing position. So peanut butter frozen inside of a kong, or a good meaty bone to chew on.
Depending on how high the carpal support is… or really you can work with whatever… E-stim on the carpal flexors during weight shifting (brace on)… to work on functional stuff.
It’s a catch 22. I’d not want tons of weight bearing on a carpus like that… but you do want to build muscle. (Which again, makes the supports mandatory when the pup is doing any kind of weight bearing.
I’d stick with that for now. In the future you could add some kind of digging type exercises, and of course balance stuff. But for now the main goal has to be NOT over-stretching those carpal ligaments and protecting the joint. So I think you’re on point.
I’m going to post this onto the forum as well. I’ve uploaded the short video to my YouTube page so I have an ability to share it.
Best of luck!
Laurie
LAURIE EDGE-HUGHES