Maddox Needs Surgery!

Maddox is about 8 months old and as sweet as can be. Maddox is a goofy boy who loves giving kisses. Maddox greets everyone with a wagging tail and a smile on his face!  We noticed Maddox had a funny gait when he was running around. Maddox needs corrective surgery on his elbow. This procedure is called an ulnar ostectomy.

What is Ulnar Ostectomy?

A dog's forelimb has two bones that stretch between the wrist and the elbow joint. They are the radius bone and the ulna bone. The ulna bone supports 20% of the animal's weight.

The upper ends of the radius and ulna bones connect with the lower end of the humerus bone to form the dog's elbow joint. It is crucial each bone fits correctly within the elbow joint to avoid abnormal tear on the joint, especially when a young dog's growth plates are active.

Growth plates are soft areas located at both ends of a young dog's long bones. They contain rapidly dividing cells which allow the bones to grow and become longer. The growth plates gradually close as the animal reaches puberty. 

If the growth plate of the radius bone is degraded while the dog is growing up, the pet may develop a shortened radius bone, shorter than the ulna bone, which will cause an imperfect fit on the elbow joint, generating lameness and further limb deformities.

Early corrective surgery is needed to remove a segment of the ulna bone, in relation to the radius. This procedure is called an ulnar ostectomy and can dramatically improve the lameness of the dog.

The procedure will remove a segment of the ulna bone, below the elbow joint. The length of bone removed will be inversely proportional to the dog's age. The younger the dog, the larger the segment of bone that needs to be removed.

A pin will be placed in the ulna bone for alignment, and a fat graft may be required. Finally, the cut ends of the ulna bone will be pulled together with a thick nylon suture which will help the elbow joint assume a better fit immediately after surgery.

The overall prognosis for young dogs is very positive and will have a good chance of complete recovery. An ulnar ostectomy can correct the distortion of the radial bone, by allowing it to develop since it will no longer be restrained by a shortened, solid ulna.

Can you donate to Labrador Friends so we can give Maddox a long, happy, and pain-free life in a forever home?

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