Healed tibia after surgery but ?'s and a concern.

[Melcakes]

Someone I know has a Yorkie. The poor thing broke his tibia and had surgery with a plate inserted with pins. A day before he was due back in to see the Surgeon to get the pins removed my friend noticed that her little guy was holding up his leg and just gingerly putting weight down on it. So, she was naturally freaked out since he was healing so well and it was a day before her little guy was scheduled to get the pins removed. He was confined and perfectly fine and she didn't know if her little man somehow re-injured the leg during the night. He was perfectly fine and when she woke up the next morning that's when she noticed her little guy was not using his leg like he was the past weeks while healing so well. Anyways she called the surgeon/hospital immediately and they told her to bring her little guy in immediately. She did and they put the dog down to examine it on the ground. The Surgeon did agree the little guy was just skipping a bit with the leg. They took X-rays though and said that the bone was healed and that they were just going to remove the pins then and there instead of waiting the next day. They did and everything went fine. She asked why they thought her little guy was holding up his leg and just gingerly putting weight on it. The surgeon said that one area where the pins went into her skin was just irritated because the fixture was so close to the skin, which made sense because once the pins came off my friend could see one area on the leg that looked irritated and a little sore. So that was that. Well all has been fine and dandy and the little guy is running around fine these days (just a little less than a month since the pins have been removed and all), but my friend STILL once every blue moon so to speak will notice her little guy just gingerly put weight on that leg still. It only happens every so often, but should she be concerned? He uses his leg fine and normal 95% of the time or more, but very rarely my friend still notices her little guy might not put all the weight down on that leg....Should she be concerned as she is?

[pancakepat]

I just don't know what to say. Other than look at the leg to see if there's sign of irritation/redness. Maybe just keep eye on it. Has she rubbed around on his leg, tug on it a little to see if the little guy responds. Could his knee be locking? Than again, maybe some days it's just a little stiff. If he's having no pain & no irritation on the leg, then I don't think I'd worry. Now if it gets worse, he would probably need to see the vet.

[Mom to Hot Rod]

well, my Hot Rod had lp surgery last year and we took him in a couple of times for follow ups. We were told by the surgeon that Hot Rod was probably still picking his leg up due to a reflex from doing it prior to surgery. He still does a year after surgery when he is running/trotting on uneven ground. He runs around like nothing and can run like a jack rabbit when he wants to. The surgeon said it could still be the memory of the pain. Also one of our vets said that it could take up to a year for a dog to heal. I didn't realize that.

Each time we taken him back for follow ups (3 total) the surgeon and our own 2 vets have said that knee and ligament are as tight as can be and in great shape. Good luck to your friends little one. I would just take him for a follow up if she is unsure, better safe than sorry.

[ladyjane]

I have had them do that following surgery. It seems to lessen with time. I would say it if is only occasional and the vet said it is healed, it is probably fine. As long as it does not get worse....if it does, I would take him in for another eval.

[Melcakes]

Thanks everyone! I'll let her know that there are others who have had theirs do it after surgery for a while too and to just watch her little guy and the leg (which I'm sure she is doing). She's actually pretty obsessed over it. Her little guy is super fast and can fly and jump like crazy and does use his leg (all of them for that matter) perfectly fine more than 95% of the time, so all does seem really good. Thanks again. It's good to hear other people's similar experiences!