Old fracture and elbow dislocation in 7 month old puppy
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2022 2:34 am
Apparently, this is my week for difficult elbow cases.
My technician just adopted a 7 month old, female Doberman puppy from our local shelter this week. The shelter guessed that she had and old poorly healed l humeral fracture. She was at the shelter for over a month, so I suspect whatever trauma was a couple months prior to her arrival at the shelter.
She is ambulatory on this limb. There is lateral deviation of the distal limb at the elbow and the elbow has marked lateral laxity. She has shoulder muscle atrophy.
We took radiographs of her today.
Radiology report:
There is proximal, cranial, and lateral displacement of the left humeral condyles with respect to the humeral diaphysis. The left humeral metaphyseal
region is poorly defined and increased in mineral opacity, with heterogeneity of the medial condylar region. The intercondylar fossa is not well delineated. The lateral condyle of the left humerus is seated within a portion of the elbow joints, the medial humeral condyle is not well seated within the elbow joints and is rotated cranially. The right thoracic limb is normal.
Radiographic Conclusions/Recommendations:
Suspected healed malunion fracture of the left humeral condyle with associated luxation of the elbow joint.
I believe this is a surgical case but I am also not sure if there is much to be done. I am concerned that arthrodesis of the elbow joint may be the only option.
Is there anything I can do for this pup with my rehab tools?
I have attached radiographs.
Thank you Again
Wendy Robinson
My technician just adopted a 7 month old, female Doberman puppy from our local shelter this week. The shelter guessed that she had and old poorly healed l humeral fracture. She was at the shelter for over a month, so I suspect whatever trauma was a couple months prior to her arrival at the shelter.
She is ambulatory on this limb. There is lateral deviation of the distal limb at the elbow and the elbow has marked lateral laxity. She has shoulder muscle atrophy.
We took radiographs of her today.
Radiology report:
There is proximal, cranial, and lateral displacement of the left humeral condyles with respect to the humeral diaphysis. The left humeral metaphyseal
region is poorly defined and increased in mineral opacity, with heterogeneity of the medial condylar region. The intercondylar fossa is not well delineated. The lateral condyle of the left humerus is seated within a portion of the elbow joints, the medial humeral condyle is not well seated within the elbow joints and is rotated cranially. The right thoracic limb is normal.
Radiographic Conclusions/Recommendations:
Suspected healed malunion fracture of the left humeral condyle with associated luxation of the elbow joint.
I believe this is a surgical case but I am also not sure if there is much to be done. I am concerned that arthrodesis of the elbow joint may be the only option.
Is there anything I can do for this pup with my rehab tools?
I have attached radiographs.
Thank you Again
Wendy Robinson