Layah's leg story

This is old...but I pulled this off another of my blogs (dog related blog), in wanting to save it.

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My puppy (born 12/27/06), Layah, true hairless, broke her leg July 11, 2007 (so much for lucky 7/11) by jumping off the couch instead of using the doggy stairs!

July 12th had surgery to put in a plate for one of the bones, the other was just too tiny to touch (broke her radius and ulna).

July 15th noted a horrid stench and back to the vets...
nasty infection; her flesh was gone, you could see the bone and plate (about the size of a US quarter)! Her flesh just died off. She was kept on same antibiotic.

Still not healing. Switched to another antibiotic and going to vets every day for bandage changes.

The first "hole" started to granulate over but then another hole started!! Vet took a sample of the infection from the new wound and did a sensitivity test. Two types of bacteria both common on the skin had gone wild...one type of Rx would work for both. So her Rx was changed again (two weeks ago from 9/18/07 had her last pill.)

Now she was healing up but the swelling was still there and she seemed to have lost of the use of her foot (vet now thinks that is due to nerve damage).

During her (about) 4 week check up on August 14, another x-ray is taken. Very bad news. Her vet is extremely concerned and said he needed to do another surgery to remove the plate. I saw the x-ray and yes the screws were coming out...but why??..

The surgery on August 15th, told us the infection that she was fighting was in her bone!! She lost part of her bone! So the vet did a bone graft from her shoulder.

She has hardware on her leg. Two pins above and below the break (two bones broke, the ulna and radius) with metal clamp holds the pins and the screws are adjusted. Her paw still droops but the swelling is gone.

I still had hope with the first surgery that she would be able to be shown (others have had broken legs and gone on to show and win!) But after the 2nd surgery no way. After the hardware comes off (in another 4 weeks) she will have to wear a splint with just her foot sticking out and start on therapy for the leg. I have already been massaging the foot, it looks better.

**September 17th vet visit, another x-ray taken. The bone graft is seems to be taking. Even though she looks crooked on the outside; the bone that has the pins is doing well and holding it's place.

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And no this is not normal treatment for little dogs and broken legs...for a show dog most do a plate and all is fine, sometimes the plate has to come out due to the tiny screws and not much bone to grab, larger dogs can keep the plate in with less trouble) but if the dog is not showing then a cast is usually okay. Layah had two broken bones in her leg. lost blood supply (so I was told) to a section of leg, hence the flesh that died off and her bone got mushy and died off.

I will never forget the sight of her leg as my daughter ran out the front door to greet me with Layah crying in her arms. I turned around and went back to the car and off to the vets.

Her prognosis: she will heal but crooked and will most likely limp. But the paw still needs to strengthen or other problems will come up.
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**Update on Layah... September 17, 2007


She had another x-ray taken and so far the bone graft is taking hold. She will have the pins and screws in for about another 4 weeks then she will move onto a a splint so she can start using her foot more. She puts very little weight on her foot now, the vet wants her to try to use it due to the bone deteriorates more noticeably in smaller /finer boned dogs.


Layah has lost her beautiful tan! She has been outside about two times since she broke her leg. We are slowly letting her have some time out in the sun. I can't wait to be able to scrub her skin! The damp wipe downs are not cutting it! I need to soak her in oil. The area around her leg is to stay dry as we can keep it.

11/1/2007 - Layah now is in a cast. Her vet has sent her x-rays and her treatments to another vet at UC Davis. So far her leg is bent at an ugly angle and she still won't use her foot, she has some feeling in it but just won't use it!! Some possible treatments at this time are (with out the 2nd vets opinion) is to wait till she is done growing and the bones have thickened and then go back in and cut out some bone (make her leg a little shorter) and re cast it. But if the foot is too damaged from her NOT using it (loss of bone mass) then they are talking amputation. Right now her leg is distorted due to the tiny bone they couldn't set. I go back to the vets again on Monday. I will see if he got back the info from the Vet at Uc Davis.
Layah is still the perfect puppy! She is very loving and all who meet her love her.

Another day....

Princess Layah is doing ok. I am going to try one more thing. I put her on pain meds. (metacam) and she is acting like her old self! She has been in so much pain the past 3 months that she rarely played or wanted to play. I stopped by the vets and had a talk with him and told him what I did. He said ok and gave me more metacam. We want her to use the bad leg so the bones can start to thicken up. We are giving her another month. Also an orthopedic expert from UC Davis will be in town next Thursday (my birthday!) and I am to take her to see him. Then I told the vet that did the surgeries that I wanted still another opinion! He said no problem and I chose Dr. Brodus (sp) the orthopedic expert for N. California and parts of OR and NV. Dr Corria said he will send Layah's ex rays and his notes to him asap and then call him.

I know you all are proably thinking I am nuts for doing this but taking off her leg is just so final. Once it's off it can't be put back. She is happy now that she is on pain medication, plays and chews up stuff. Chases a ball. And she even has used the bad leg a few times while chasing Simba & Taz (she can't keep up with them but tries).

As of January 21, 2008 - Layah still has all 4 legs but only uses 3. I am giving her more time before I take her in to see the other specialist. I am hoping he will be able to cut her leg and make it straight (even if it will be a little shorter) so she can have all four on the floor.

I am waiting due to three reasons. 1) she has been through 3 major surgies in her short life; 2) giving the bones more time to thicken up; 3) I think her trachea was injured with the last surgery. Ever since that last surgery she gasps/chokes on food, she has never done that before.

I will post more when I have more to report on my baby girl.