I guess I have been in denial about this ,but Wednesday of last week My girl Sadie somehow broke her left rear leg at the hock joint. I believe it happened after I "flushed" a chipmonk out of a wood pile. I was workinhg in and around my vegetable garden and noticed her searching all around a pile of shortened telephone poles. I bumped one end of one up and down and Got the briefest glimpse of the critter exiting by Sadie , who was watching from the other end. She took off after it and I believe chased it to a small pile of lumber, which I heard shift somehow, then she came scalding by me and went through some brush out of sight. This is about a daily routine for her.
Later I thought once I saw her limp and watched her and convinced myself that she wasn't. She road in our truck to choir practice that night, and we let her out afterwards, and she was carrying the leg! No doubt then!
Several times before we took her in to my vet the next morning she appeared to be walking normaly on the leg. Dang, I am a retired vet myself and it blew my mind how ahe could do that! I made her a splint that night to stsbilize the joint and spent a sleepess night. My regular vet and I palpated her and thought she had a subluxation at the tibiotarsal joint, and we were afraid she had torn ligaments, but a small fracture was also seen. My vet referred me to a specialist for surgery saying it was something he'd never felt comfortable doing.
The specialist did some more radiographs and said after palpating the leg that he thought the joint was stable and that the fracture was responsible for the movement we all experienced with the joint. He said a bivalve cast ought to fix things and that her prognosis was good. We get another check-up next Tuesday AM. Sadie has been a great companion, and hunter. All things considered, she has had the best qualities of all the dogs I've ever had in a single package. We love her almost too much I guess, but she has been worthy in my book. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. We believe in them!
Bill
Later I thought once I saw her limp and watched her and convinced myself that she wasn't. She road in our truck to choir practice that night, and we let her out afterwards, and she was carrying the leg! No doubt then!
Several times before we took her in to my vet the next morning she appeared to be walking normaly on the leg. Dang, I am a retired vet myself and it blew my mind how ahe could do that! I made her a splint that night to stsbilize the joint and spent a sleepess night. My regular vet and I palpated her and thought she had a subluxation at the tibiotarsal joint, and we were afraid she had torn ligaments, but a small fracture was also seen. My vet referred me to a specialist for surgery saying it was something he'd never felt comfortable doing.
The specialist did some more radiographs and said after palpating the leg that he thought the joint was stable and that the fracture was responsible for the movement we all experienced with the joint. He said a bivalve cast ought to fix things and that her prognosis was good. We get another check-up next Tuesday AM. Sadie has been a great companion, and hunter. All things considered, she has had the best qualities of all the dogs I've ever had in a single package. We love her almost too much I guess, but she has been worthy in my book. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. We believe in them!
Bill
