Pin removal

[Tishag]

My dog got His external fixator and pins removed 5 days ago. He still will not use the leg. He holds it up and it looks turned in. Is that normal?

[greysmom]

Yes.

Our girl got her fixator removed 12/22 after 6+ months.  She will walk on it slowly, but if she wants to go faster she tripods.  All completely normal according to her surgeon.

It's going to take a while for him to begin using the leg again.  Which is fine, since you don't want very much (ie ANY) stress on the bones until the pin holes fill in and all the muscles/ligaments/tendons are healed.

We were told to leash walk only for several weeks.

But check with your orthopedic surgeon for specifics for your dog.

[Tishag]

That makes me feel so much better! He got hit by a car 10/21 and had surgery the 23rd. They took the fixator off a little after two months. I was worried they may have took it off too early because he would use the leg with it on. It’s his femur bone. He just lays around. I will call his vet in the morning. Did your pup happen to have a knot by where the fixator was?

[greysmom]

Andi's leg has changed significantly, but our experience has been quite a bit more involved. 

She basically shattered her R hock at an amateur racing meet two years ago.  She spent 3 months in a cast, and only had 6 months before her plates started to cause trouble and had to come out.  Following that removal we had trouble getting the joints and fractures to fuse - and she went into a fixator last June.  She had to have two rounds of bone grafts to try and get her bones fusing on their own, and, as I said, just got out of the fixator before Christmas.

I expect her leg to continue to change shape as she continues healing.

Here's a pic I took of her last xray, 2 weeks after the fixator was removed.  She had 7 or 8 pins through her leg and 2 titanium rods on either side holding everything stable.

20221210_120504 by Chris Harper, on Flickr

[Tishag]

I called the vet Monday morning. They said to bring him in. He somehow rebroke his leg. They put his external fixator back on and we start the every two week visits all over again. 

[ramonaghan]

Oh, man. I'm so sorry to hear that. I hope he heals up completely this time.

[greysmom]

That totally sucks.  I'm so sorry!!!

Just wondering why they chose the fixator rather than put a cast on the leg??  Is the break towards the top and the cast would be in his groin??

[EllenEveBaz]

Crap.  Extra hugs to your boy.  And you.  

[greysmom]

Just wanted to add for the OP if she comes back - please talk with your vet, and perhaps do an ortho consult, to make sure your boy isn't dealing with osteosarcoma.  If that's the case the bone will not heal properly, and any delay in treatment can make everything harder.