Previous leg injury.

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for adopting a greyhound! Every rescue greyhound I have seen has been an absolute sweetheart.

The best way to get answers to your questions is to have some xrays taken of Misty's leg. This really should tell us what kind of damage has been done and whether there is anything we could do to fix it.

The surgery that you are describing is possible. However, it would be very expensive and could come with a number of risks. You would have to consult with an orthopedic surgeon to determine if this is possible and whether it would be likely to help Misty. While I can't say, without seeing xrays myself, I would think that the risks would outweigh the benefits.

It's hard to say whether Misty will be prone to arthritis because of this. I wouldn't say that having a leg that is a different length would cause arthritis. But, if there was an injury that affected a joint in the leg then it is possible.

Have you ever considered seeing a veterinary chiropractor? It's possible that a chiropractor could help. Of course, this depends on what the cause of the uneven legs is. If it is because of a back issue (which is possible) then they may be able to help. If you do see a chiropractor be sure to see one who is a veterinary chiropractor.

But again, the best thing that you could do is have some xrays done.

Hopefully that has answered your questions, but if you have more concerns, just reply.

Dr. Marie.


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Dr. Marie replied:

The surgery sounds very similar to something called a "leg sparing" surgery that can be done if a dog has cancer. In this surgery, they will remove the piece of bone that has cancer and then use bone plates to fuse the two pieces of bone together. In your dog's case, it would be similar, except that instead of cancerous bone being removed it would be regular bone that is removed.

But, the risk is that the surgery may not heal properly. There is the risk of infection. Or, it's possible that some screws or other hardware that is used to keep the two pieces of bone together come lose. If the surgery doesn't heal properly then she could need additional surgeries or even worse, could end up needing the leg amputated.

This is why a consult with an ortho specialist would be great. They can give you an idea of just how uncomfortable she is and whether she would benefit from surgery...and if so, whether the benefits outweigh the risks.