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Pet Of The Month For February 2009 |
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Casper Pucilovska You don’t have to be old or injured to need a vet…..Meet Casper. He is just 12 months old and, like any young dog, loves running around at high speeds when out for his daily exercise. But to look at him you wouldn’t realise that he is just recovering from Perthe’s disease, a problem of unknown origin that affects the hip joints of young, small breed dogs. He presented to us in the middle of October when his owners noted he was limping on one back leg. He had started to lose muscle on the leg, and it was very painful to extend or flex the joint. Radiographs confirmed the vet’s suspicion that he had Perthe’s disease, and despite anti-inflammatory drugs he was getting worse. We made the decision to remove the head of the femur, via an operation know as femoral head resection. This is difficult surgery but the animals usually respond well, forming a “false joint” at the hip, which allows them to use the leg without experiencing any pain. Jamie McNeill did the operation and Casper has literally bounced back since then. His exercise periods are as bouncy and fun-filled as ever, and he has been a great patient, making him a worthy pet of the month. Well done Casper!! |