Dealing with a doggy disability: X-rays of Hazel's broken femur

Dealing with a doggy disability: X-rays show the progression of Hazel's broken femur

Hazel at 9 weeks and 13 weeks


Hazel, my Saint Bernese puppy, is four months old, and much has changed for this fluffy little spitfire of a mountain dog. When my partner and I brought Hazel home on March 22, we noticed that she walked with a limp. I brought her to the animal hospital where I work the next day and received some bad news- Hazel had fractured her femur bone in her left hind leg at some point early on in her life. It went undiagnosed and untreated. The first radiograph showed that the bone had completely callused over, causing the left leg to be shorter than the right.

As I discussed in my letter from the editor, Hazel will walk with a limp, is guaranteed to have arthritis and hip dysplasia early on in life, and may need major surgery. At that time, I was still waiting for the surgeon’s assessment. Later that week, I received the news- the surgeon said I should leave the leg for now, but take X-rays monthly to monitor the growth and watch for signs of pain. If we saw signs of soreness, we were to put Hazel on a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to help with pain management.


Radiographs from the Pembroke Animal Hospital
show the progression of the leg.

I knew that we would have to watch closely for behaviour changes and increased lameness in Hazel because she is a dog with extremely high pain tolerance. I did see signs of increased lameness in Hazel at times- her limp would become more noticeable and her leg would get shaky. Sometimes she would just stop walking and sit, no matter how much we called to her or coaxed her with treats. When she started crying for no reason, I knew it was time. On April 29, we started her on Metacam. Since Hazel was growing so fast, this liquid oral suspension drug was the best choice- all I need to do is weigh her every week to make sure I don’t need to adjust the dose. At four months, Hazel is now 39 pounds, so a pill or chewable NSAID like Rimadyl wasn’t ideal for our fast-growing mountain dog. Keep in mind, when Hazel is older, she will need blood work every six months to make sure the NSAID hasn’t affected her liver.

Regulating Hazel’s exercise and diet is also a key part of maintaining the integrity of her leg. Hazel’s exercise was already going to be limited because she is a Saint Bernard mix, and like most giant breeds, these dogs cannot overwork their bodies during the formative growing years. With Hazel, all exercise and play with other dogs must be watched and reduced. I also laid out the carpet to ensure she wasn’t walking on the hardwood too much. I put her on the veterinary-specific Puppy Development food by Royal Canin and regulate her food intake so that she stays lean enough to carry weight on her leg. Her doctor also recommended Flexadin, which is a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement that contains Devil's Claw- a natural pain reliever. Hazel thinks it is a treat- she thinks all of her medication is a treat, so I am lucky in that regard. She has bonded really well with her doctor, and at her last visit, Hazel was excited when she saw her come into the treatment room.

Hazel and Keira in May in the backyard.

I will X-ray Hazel every month. We sent our second X-rays to the surgeon on April 28, and he said the leg looked good. Some of my fears had already been slowly slipping away. Her leg was getting stronger, and she could bend it more easily. In early April, she started using the stairs- although going up was easier than going down. She was more playful with us and our other dog, Keira.

My doctor took Hazel’s most recent radiographs on June 1, and the change in the bone is incredible. She will always have one leg shorter than the other, but the bone has appeared to be straighter and smoother. She does have some behaviour issues that may be associated with the accident. I think it may have been harder for her to nurse from her mother when the leg was broken because when it comes to food, she is just like a Lab- all-consuming. She swallows her food whole, and I have tried two different slow feeders, mixing in larger Royal Canin Dental food and hand feeding- she just sucks it down her gullet like a little baby bird. The only edible chews she can eat without trying to swallow whole are C.E.T. VeggieDent tartar control chews- anything else she just goes at baby bird style.

Radiographs from the Pembroke Animal Hospital
show the progression of the leg.

Hazel is starting to get into that gangly teenage puppy phase, and she has turned into a fuzzy little blonde! Her legs keep getting longer and longer- one more so than the other one, obviously. Her teeth are just starting to fall out, but according to her doctor, “those big sharp ones you hate so much are the last to fall out.” Luckily, her play biting has been trained out of her. Hazel is a fully vaccinated and registered member of the dog society, and she is not going on disability. I am sure, after seeing the recent radiograph, that if we maintain her weight, monitor her exercise, do regular X-rays, and continue her on NSAIDs, she will become the active and outdoorsy mountain dog that I was looking for.

                          Hazel's first X-rays

March 23, 2015


June 1, 2015

 Hazel and Keira at home











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2 Comentarios

  1. Dominick30 June 2020 at 08:59

    very sad

    ReplyDelete
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