Today we visited a bone specialist vet linked to the Poitiers university veterinary department, for a second opinion on Polar’s leg. Polar didn’t go alone, his playmate Bracken went with him.
Dr Guillon concurred with what the Pepis Vet said and also my local vet yesterday with regard to his diagnosis.
The decision on the way forward for Polar is not one I feel I can make, since so many people have cared about this delightful little galgo puppy from when Pepis Refuge first published the appeal about him.
To recap, he was born in February 2013, in April 2013 he was abandoned at Pepis Refuge. He had a mobility problem in his near hind knee. Alan and Jane Brian took him to see their vet and also a specialist, who x-rayed his legs and advised them on a way forward.
In the meantime, MOH and I had taken the little chap into our hearts and understood that, if he were to have an operation, it was asking a lot of Jane and Alan to cope with a small puppy in convalescence, with over 50 dogs to care for in the refuge. Added to that, Jane then became ill and was admitted to hospital for diagnosis and treatment.
Polar arrived with us on 7th June. I took him to our vet that evening, who was standing in for the bone specialist vet who was on holiday.
On 11th June Polar and his x-rays from the Spanish vet were examined by the bone specialist vet at my local practice in France. After considerable in depth conversation – he speaks excellent English – he advised he believed the injury to Polar’s leg had happened in the first couple of weeks of his life and been ignored. His recommendation was not to operate, as there was no guarantee that Polar’s mobility would improve and the after-care could cause him frustration, distress and muscle wastage. If no operation then arthritis is likely to set in and that is treatable to ease the pain. If the pain became too much, then amputation of the hind limb would be necessary.
On 12th June we travelled to Poitiers to see Dr Guillon, who also speaks good English to add to our understanding of what he described in French also. After examining Polar’s leg and x-rays he too, independently from my vet the previous day, said he thought the injury happened in the first couple of weeks or so of Polar’s young life.
After a great deal of time spent examining the x-rays, Polar’s leg, a lot of thought, he said an operation could be performed. He writes ‘it is a medial patelan luxation with femoral deformation’ if this means anything to those with more medical knowledge than me!
What he would do is fit 2 circular plates around the leg below the knee and above the heel with 4 screws between each. This would have the effect of trying to stop the rotation of the bones in the knee off the femur bone. Polar would require 3 or 4 further operations after the initial one, about every 3 months, to unscrew the screws as his leg grows.
I believe this is what the Pepis Vet was advising as a possibility, as she said that 3 or 4 further operations would be required after the initial one, as Polar grows.
So what are the implications of all this?
Polar does not know he is disabled. He runs around the courtyard playing with Bracken; He jumps up onto the sofa or chair to sleep; he behaves like a normal galgo pup jumping up at the worktops looking for food; he walks with a bad limp which is distressing for us but does not distress nor hamper him.
The outlook if he is not operated on. Within a few years arthritis will set in to the leg and joint and this can be treated with anti-inflammatories to control the pain. I already use a natural pain reliever on my retired lame horses and I will carry out further research on what natural products are available to help Polar if we go with this decision. Ultimately, in the distant future, if the pain became too much, the leg could be amputated high up.
The outlook if he is operated on. There is no guarantee that the operation will ultimately improve his quality of life. It would be traumatic for him to have about 4 operations during the course of 18 months of his life – he’s only 4 months old! Convalescence with a leg in pins will not be easy for him. We would do whatever is necessary to ease it for him. An older dog I know of coped with both his front legs in metal braces for 6 months. But here we are talking about a 4 month old puppy, still growing.
If the operation is ‘successful’, it would not make a great deal of difference to his life/mobility and the vet believes he could eventually carry the leg. As it has already been broken, then arthritis would eventually set in, needing treatment. Worst case scenario – amputation.
The quote for the operation is 2,000 euros, including the further operations to unscrew the screws as he grows. The cost of the operation is not an issue for us. We will do whatever is necessary in the way of fundraising to raise this money.
So, what I need from you all, who have taken this little boy to your hearts, is what you think. Do any of you have experience of hind knee operations on puppies or even older dogs?
Do we say ‘go ahead with the operation’ in the hope that it might have some sort of success in improving Polar’s mobility for a restricted space of time.
Or do we leave him to get on with his life, a happy little galgo with a deformity. He doesn’t know he’s handicapped, he probably thinks this is how all galgos move!
Either way, arthritic pain is in store for him which can be controlled one way or another with medication – veterinary or natural. Hind leg amputation is inevitable if the pain becomes too much.
Whilst I don’t like limb amputation on a dog, I know and have been on rescues where I have experience of both fore-limb and hind-limb amputees and it doesn’t do much to hamper their mobility.
This decision is not ours, this decision is a joint one with all of you who care about the little galgo pup who is Polar!
Both David and I will be grateful for your input to help us decide the best course for Polar, this adorable little 4 month old galgo – yet another survivor of the blasted ignorance and lack of care and action by a Spanish galguero. I curse him!
And I’d like to add two things.
1. This little boy Polar is with us for the rest of his life, whatever it takes to make it comfortable and enjoyable for him. (I’d rather have him than a lot of the nasty people in the world!)
2. David WILL STILL be doing his parachute jump over the Ile de Re, La Rochelle, France, in July 2013 (date yet to be decided0, for which he will want lots of sponsors, whether it is to help pay for Polar’s operation, or to help Pepis Refuge who work tirelessly in difficult circumstances to save all the abandoned puppies and dogs chucked at them over the fence and tied to their gates by the uncaring Spaniards in the area of Pedrera, Sevilla, Spain.
Comments
26 responses to “Polar’s Diary – visits to the bone specialist vets – Update 12 June 2013”
Leave him as he is xxxx
I think you should leave him as he is as well. Pain relief will help with the arthritis when he starts to feel pain but this could be a while yet. Let him be a happy puppy. It sounds like the operation could be more problematic for him. X
You have had two people look at Polar, and they both came to the same conclusion, leave him as he is, as you say HE does not know he is different. A human child would have the ‘screws’ on the out side of the leg, and they would be turned every so often, which is very painful for them, why put the pup through this, he is not a human and will not fuss about it, and we want even say anything as their isn’t anything to say…………….he is lovely as he is. he can have meds when he needs them, probably not for a few years yet so that I think it is the way to go. xx
i agree beryl let him be whats the point of putting him through all that when it gets painful there is a lot of pain killers out there now to help him but he is your puppy the decision is yours at the end of the day im just giving my opinion you are wounderfull and i wish you and polo and all the family many years of happiness with polo and the doggie gang
I think you should leave him as he is xx
Such a difficult decision, and of course everyone wants what will bring Polar most happiness and fulfilment in life. I think at present I would be inclined to leave him to enjoy his puppyhood and deal with the pain and real disability as it comes along – I have always believed in quality of life rather than quantity. Like you Beryl I curse the galguero who caused this problem, may he rot in hell!!!Meantime the important thing for Polar is that he is truly loved and his life will be good even when his disability begins to cause problems – my closest experience was a greyhound with caudate equinuus, a painful progressive spinal disease, and having to deal with the increasing problems with adequate pain relief, it was a heart-rending experience yet she enjoyed the time she had in so many ways, and it was perhaps harder on those of us who had to watch in the knowledge that eventually we would have to take the hardest decision for her.
Everyone on here so far has said to leave him and I am inclined to agree with that sentiment.
There may be alternative treatments that you could explore to slow down any degeneration of the joint. Perhaps hydrotherapy, or some kind of gentle bodywork that you could do with him most days, to keep the leg mobile and free from pain. There’s always supplements to look at as well.
In all I think his youth is on his side. There may be all sorts of options you can explore and put in practice at this early stage in his life to make a difference.
Perhaps the operation can be done a little later after he has grown a bit? It’s been done to older dogs and perhaps it would be better as they calm down as they get older. He’s awfully young to be put through this… I’d say, leave him be for now and see how it develops. Best of luck to you!
He is a pup and he will growhe is not in any pain and moves effortlesly let him have a good quality of life as long as he can and then help him with painrelief when it becomes nescessary until then it is much better to let him live the good life many hounds live with old injuries and they do very well when athritis sets in glucosamin does help I have an older greyhound with athritis in his hind legs and with the aid of glucosamin he is doing very well indeed he will be ten years in September and he is not too bothered by the pain he runs as he has always done and is not inhibited in his movements. I would always consider quality of life higher than anything else especially when it comes to my greyhounds. So best wishes for Polar for a long and very happy life in the best of care.
I say leave as is..for all the reasons mentioned.
p.s. the natural supplement MSM does wonders for arthritic dogs. I had a 16 year old dog that when I got him he could hardly move..after about a month of MSM daily he was able to jump up on the couch..it is sold in natural food stores or I can send you a bottle of it..it is a powder…look it up..I use it myself for keeping my joints moving…
Hi Beryl, Like others I think you should leave him as he is. If he is not suffering from the problems now, 4 ops with no guarantee of success seem too much for a baby. As you say if later he needs pain relief so be it, and even if he loses a leg, it is not too dreadful. Have a word with Angela Wilson, she has two lovely galgos in her gang both with 3 legs, one missing a hind and one a front I think. Sounds as he is a lovely little boy and will add much to your life. xxxx
Hi beryl, i left a response last night but it does not seem to have been accepted. Try again.. To cut a very long story short. My fox terrier sustained terrible injuries to his back legs . After much deliberation and a failed attempt at securing one leg, the vet put a plate into the other. We were to wait and see if it ‘took’ before making decisions. For 3 months harry walked only on his two front legs, bum in the air! Then, as the plate leg healed, He started to use the ‘bad’ leg. We decided to leave him to it. A year on we are all amazed as to how harry has adapted to his disability. He is a fit little dog with dodgy back legs! When he does too much he goes back onto 3 legs for a while. I give him joint supplements, lots of fish and the odd dose of metacalm. I know that age may bring problems but i shall deal with these as they arise. I think i would advise to ‘leave well alone’. Let polar enjoy his new found freedom without stress or pain. Like harry, he will be totally unaware of his disability. No one told harry he couldnt possibly walk on his fourth leg so he just went ahead and used it! Polar is gorgeous as he is.
I agree with all of the above, Beryl. I think he should be left as he is to enjoy being a puppy. Even with some arthritic pain, which can be managed, he will have a wonderful, happy life with you.
I tend to agree with all the above comments
Polar has no idea he has a disablity
to put a young pup through months of pain with no grantee it will make the leg (right)at the end of all of it
I would let him have his puppyhood and just see how he goes
You are a kind loving careing person who will at the end of the day do the right thing for this sweet boy
Time will tell with Polar
Thank you for giving him a safe wonderful home
Toni
Hi Beryl, as you know I have adopted Scarlet whose hind leg was broken at some point in her life and she manages very well, I know she is 10 and I have no idea when the break occurred, my vet has looked at it and has said probably several years ago and new bone had grown around the fractured pieces.She limps but it doesn,t deter her from running and jumping. I have put on on Yumove which has green lipped mussel and glucosamine in it and salmon oil to help her joints and mobility. I also feel maybe leave Polar and put him on plenty of oils as quite often surgery can cause nerve damage. It is a very tricky decision as nothing appears to be 100% definate. Is your bone consultant the best one to offer advice?
No contest – leave him as he is, a happy little dog.
Let him be a happy little Galgo pup and leave the operation. It sounds as though it will not offer a long term solution and will just frustrate Polar and cause him some pain while recovering from each op.
He is beautiful as he is, and so very happy.
The thing is he will not only have arthrosis in the knee area, but probably as well , as a consequence, in his hips. . . knowing what Rymadyl , Metacam etc do in long term use to the kidneys and liver . . . . :-((
Yes, leave him as he is, enjoying each day. The future will take care of itself.
He’s happy and does not know what is wrong, bless him.
I’ve replied on facebook, but leave him as he is, Beryl, I know him and the leg doesn’t bother him at all. Can you imagine him any more mobile then he is? How much mischief can a little dog get into?
I totally agree – leave him be. Telma is right, MSM is amazing. I have used it on my retired greyhounds for years. It helped our 16 years old who was exactly the same as Telma’s – couldn’t get up stairs etc. A week after going onto MSM he was flying up and down like a pup. Best wishes for Polar – I hope he continues to blossom and bring you great joy.
Thank you all enormously for all your input and information with regard to dealing with a dog if it develops arthritis. Michele, you didn’t finish your reply.
We had decided to leave him as he is, but it is marvellous to have everyone else in agreement.
David will still do his fundraising parachute jump in July but it will not now be to fund Polar’s operation, but for another goal. Watch GN for news!
Hi Janice. I remember Scarlet well from when I walked her and Apolo and Sara, and we bathed them all, last September when we were with Charl at the stables, before she moved to the finca. The specialist vet is extremely good and explained exactly what the operations would mean…and wasnt keen to carry it out. And we had decided on the drive home that, if everyone else agreed, we would leave Polar as he is, to enjoy life as a disabled boy and deal with the arthritis when it appears. So I am copying out everyones suggestions as to what remedies they use – natural ones are top of my list. when you say put him on plenty of oils, what do you suggest? Can I purchase Yumove on the Internet? Beryl
Beryl I am agreeing with everything that has been above, I think you should leave poor Polar at the moment and deal with things that occur in the future. A big thank you for helping a needy Spanish dog as at the moment we have so many 🙁
please leave him as he is…..until the need arises for further treatment….he is gorgeus and coping well…..xxx