Who To Trust?

[rob67]

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Some people may know about jack, :wub: our 6 month old pup, who broke his tibia in scotland. He is such a cheeky, gorgeous little chap and we were devastated when he did it. But we took him to the vets up there, heard what they had to say, took their advice and came home with jack in an immobilising splint with the advice to see our own vet, after a week on our return. Jack was ok, nipping around and getting on with stuff. Took him to our vets, they re-did the splint, said everything was ok, jack was very distressed after this, but as they said this was down to the sedation, we carried on trusting their judgement.

After a night of Jack crying and eventually settling we decided to change vets and found a practice that served the greyhound stadiums around us. Jack saw the vet yesterday, underwent surgery today after she found that the fracture had displaced to a 40 degree angle. When I asked would things for jack be different had we had gone to her in the first place, she said "yes". He now has crossed pins internally to fixate the tibia.

I know that all you seasoned whippet racer's out there would have had a better idea than us about whether to trust the vets treating jack or not, so i suppose my post is to those who may be in our position of not being in racing long. I know that I trust the vet we have now, but only because they have been treating greyhounds and working dogs for a long time.

We are not sure as to what jack will be able to do, i just know that we'll do whatever possible to get him better. I guess I just wanted to help anyone else to avoid making the same mistake we did.

Chris

 

[marielou]

So Sorry to hear this Chris, he is such a dear little chap :wub: :wub: and the image of his dad. It must be such an upsetting time for you we hope little Jack gets well soon and has a speedy and uneventful recovery

Try and stay positive

All the best

Marie and Graham

 

[Tony Taylor]

Sorry about your troubles. We all know how distressing thse things can be.

On a brighter note it's worth knowing that bone is the only tissue in the body that heals totaly without scarring to the extent that a repair is as good as the original bone when fully healed.

I'm glad you've found a vet you feel happy with. It's worth knowing that in younger children a deflection of upto 30 degrees in long bones would normaly be considered to be able to heal straight without intervention. Jacks a young dog so ought to make a full recovery. I'd personaly want to have the pins out as soon as practical.

Hobgoblin had a nasty complicated compound spiral fracture of her ulna and radius and after a fair amount of excellant work buy our vet ran with sucsess at open level.

 

[Vicky]

Sounds awful for poor little Jack, fingers crossed your new vet has everything under control and he heals well. :luck: :luck: :luck:

Best of luck :luck:

 

[Paws123]

Never been happy with young dogs been potted, splints etc as these can stunt the growth of the leg thous resulting in shortness of a limb

Pleased you have managed to find a suitable vet only time will tell now weather he will be okay for racing...good luck with your pup i hope it goes well for you all

 

[len]

Hope he makes a good recovery :luck:

 

[milly]

First Chris, by going to the vets up Scotland you did what any caring and responsible owner would do. I'ts not your fault that they got it wrong :rant:

By going to the vet who is used to dealing with running dogs is a plus to a possible full recovery :thumbsup: (fingers crossed)

Get him in the therapy box on full frequency for 5 mins every other day :thumbsup: Give some calcium,phosphorus and vitamin D supplements :thumbsup: what you forgot to say in your post is that its a tibial crest injury, or so we believed or have I got it wrong?

If you have not got a therapy box you can borrow mine for as long as you need it.

Wishing Jack a full recovery, and his daddy big Jack sends his love :wub:

ps hope Tay is OK :thumbsup:

G & H

 

[rob67]

Thanks for kind words geoff, jack's fracture is tibia crest, but tibia as well, if that makes sense. It wasn't just the vets in scotland that cocked it up, our previous vets, we believe did 95% of the damage to his leg. He developed 4 pressure sores on his leg in the 3 days he had their splint on. He is due to go back to the new vets on sat, and she said that if he is putting weight through his leg then it would be fantastic. he is just starting to gingerly put his toes down, and when he forgets. or he is having a pee etc he weight bears on it.

We have a portamag now thanks, but if he has pins in will it do any harm? Have got calcium supplements and will get rest. He has captured the hearts of all at the vets apparently :wub:

Will give him a big hug and kiss from big daddy jack :huggles:

Ty is fab, he has now got the hang of getting onto our bed when I'm on the comp and exposing himself on his back as usual :teehee: We've been on the beach loads and he loves going in the sea, seaweed frightens him tho...............big girlie

Will pass hugs onto jack, thanks, chris.

 

[sharon whincop]

When my bitch broke her tibie the vet pinned it. I asked if I could put it in the Magnapulse box and he told me no not till the tibia had healed something to do with the metal pin and the magnetic pulse. I also had a bitch that broke her hock while in scot. last year we straped it and I drove 4 1/2 hour's back to our own vet he's the only one I trust with my dog's. Good luck with the pup My bitch with the tibia still runs just takes time and patience. :luck:

 

[rob67]

Thanks for all the lovely thoughts and good luck wishes. Have passed them onto Jack and he smirked at me whilst finishing the chicken off (w00t) I wondered whether having metal pins in might affect magnetic pulse..........and did have vision of jack hovering above magnetic field :blink: But then i am a woman and it is a machine :- "

chris

 

[sharon whincop]

I'm just going off what my vet said. She still has the pin in and can go in the box it's just something to do with while it's healing.

 

[milly]

I was only giving sound and safe advice.

Care of the Racing Greyhound A guide for trainers, Breeding and Veterinarians.page 307 Avulsion Fracture of the Tibial Crest

Quote Ensure adequate calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D supplementation.

A veterinarian may precribe magnetic field high frequency(95 gauss,65 hertz) 10 min daily or alternate days for 4 weeks and in Australia perhaps one or two injections of Trophoblene ®. After6 to 8 weeks the screws (or other devices used) are removed. End of Quote. And the reason I said 5 mins is because of little Jacks size.

I wouldn't give the wrong advice to a dog that is close to our hearts, or to any other dog, please don't take this post the wrong way

ps we couldn't have wished for better owners :thumbsup:

Geoff

 

[milly]

Sorry it should say (for breeders and veterinarians)

 

[Tony Taylor]

My own personal view is that you should avoid giving calcium and /or phosphate preparations since, unless you're an expert in physiology and have access to blood calcium and the relevant hormone levels, you're more likely to get the calciumhosphate ratio wrong rather than right and in doing so will screw up calcium metabolism and make things worse rather than better. If you want to give extra calcium to support bone growth then give it as bone meal because in that way you're guarrenteed to have the correct ratios of calcium to phosphate because nature has already done the hard work for you.

There's no need to get too hung up on calcium for healing bones because;

a) primary healing in bones is dependant on protein and not calcium

b) the rest of the skeleton acts as a huge resovoir of calcium and phosphate that can be used to repair damaged areas

c) most ghd dry foods have more than sufficient calcium and phosphate for any circumstances that may arise

I used a magnetic therapy box when Hobgoblin broke her leg with the pins still in and my impression was that it helped alot. Magnetic therapy is to be used with caution when inflammation is present so I avoided using it until primary healing had taken place.

There is a place for nandrolone or other anabolic steroids in helping bone repair but Jack is a young dog so caution would be needed.

I agree with having the pins out but the timing is best determined by xray.

 

[rob67]

Thanks for all advice, me and jack had a little chat over a milky drink before bed time last night................dont worry, he only pinched the dregs out of the bottom (w00t) Told him that lots of people were thinking of him and I think he smiled Will put jack in for 5 mins geoff, makes sense to, and will think about how best to get calcium etc into diet at best level and in best way. He's getting beta greyhound, but also give him raw chicken wings ( and other cooked meats), so source of protein and calcium should be useful.

Jack sends a big sloppy kiss to Dad and granny and gramps :wub: :wub:

 

[sherry]

hope he revovers soon chris. is he walking on the leg yet? all my love to him x :wub:

 

[rob67]

Jack sends a big kiss to his fave aunty :wub: He isn't walking on his foot much, but when he forgets and doesnt think about it..................like when he had his head stuck in the tub of custard...............he does put it down :teehee: I have been massaging the muscles and encouraging him to move it etc, but I didnt realsie how much infected skin there was after previous vets put cast on :rant: so it's quite sore for him. We are working hard at it tho

 

[rob67]

Hi Geoff, jack has been in Portamag, laid on his back, bad leg resting on side with his toungue hanging out and breaking wind like a good-un (w00t) Perhaps it's a male thing :blink: Thanks for advice about calcium etc, I know how much you and hazel love little jack and I trust your advice without exception. :thumbsup:

 

[milly]

No probs Chris :thumbsup: good luck with the Whelpy

 

[rob67]

Just gonna give him some................tho I think he might need something to calm him down cos he's like a little loony since i came in from work :blink: His bum wagged so fast that he nearly fell over!! :wub: :wub: