Rusty’s on the mend after responding to leg break op
IF ever there was a breed of dog with a less deserved reputation with regard to their temperament, it is the Doberman.
Certainly Dobermans can be territorial, that is what makes them good guard dogs but despite being big powerful dogs, they are generally very soft by nature and often quite timid.
When Rusty, the 18-month-old Doberman was rushed in to our emergency service at the Donaldson’s Vets Somerset Road surgery, she was limp with shock.
Her gums were pale and her breathing was fast and shallow…..as were those of her owner who, in a state of shock, recounted the story of how Rusty had been hit by a car while out for a walk.
One of our vets carried out the initial assessment and, in addition to severe external bruising, she had significant bruising to her lungs and some signs of internal bleeding. The most obvious external injury was to
her L hind which hung limply. Careful examination revealed a sickening crunch as broken bone rubbed on broken bone. X-rays were required to fully assess the extent of the injury but the first priority was to improve the circulation and breathing.
A drip was set up to help to improve Rusty’s blood pressure, powerful pain relief was administered and special devices to raise her body temperature were safely deployed.
A day later and, in many respects, Rusty looked a different dog. Her shock had improved, however it was still clear that there was a significant problem with the hind leg.
Under general anaesthesia, a range of X rays were taken which confirmed the position of the fracture.
Unfortunately, during the impact from the car, the force was so great that a portion of the bone had passed through the skin being exposed to the environment. This is critical when it comes to deciding on the most appropriate method of repairing the fracture since the contaminated fracture site could lead to infection around any metal implants.
The owners had already explained to one of our vets that, since they did not have pet insurance, referral was not an option.
However at Donaldson’s Vets we try wherever possible to have the equipment and expertise to allow us to treat as many cases in-house as possible and, although a challenging fracture, I felt confident that we could provide all the necessary treatment.
It was agreed that we would use a device called an “External Skeletal Fixator” which rigidly fixes the fracture using pins and bars that run down the outside of the leg.
By the following day, Rusty was even using the leg a little so she could be discharged to convalesce at home.