Horsey is an injured stray dog rescued by Joanne from Klang. There was a bleeding wound in her right hind leg and a vet in Klang had diagnosed Horsey as being paralysed. He suggested that she be euthanised. Horsey was also rather snappy and the vet could not handle her.
Ref: http://www.myanimalcare.org/2011/04/horseys-updates-injured-dog-in-klang.html
We offered Joanne a second opinion from our panel vet in Subang Jaya and a Saturday appointment had been set.
However, last night Joanne told me that Horsey had not urinated for one whole day, so I contacted our vet who said that that was really serious and it could lead to kidney necrosis and even death. So I told Joanne she had to try to bring Horsey in as soon as possible.
This morning, Joanne let Horsey out and she seemed happy and did urinate, after all. Nevertheless, it was best to let the vet examine her properly to determine whether she was really paralysed or not.
I had just come back from seeing to Zeezam's little Neko when Joanne called to say she had managed to catch Horsey and was bringing her to our vet. Soon after her call, it started to pour. Subang Jaya had been afflicted with torrential rains (thunder, lightning and the full works) almost every evening these days.
I met Joanne at the petrol station and we drove to the vet's.
Joanne had brought Horsey in this makeshift "carrier" which consisted of a cardboard box and a piece of a cage as the roof. Joanne and I carried Horsey in her box-carrier out from the car into the clinic.
Joanne said although she feeds many stray dogs, she didn't dare touch them as she had been previously bitten by dogs before. I do understand this. Some people develop a slight phobia after having been bitten by certain animals. Despite her phobia, I'm amazed Joanne managed to entice Horsey into this cardboard box and bring her all the way to Subang Jaya!
Joanne was talking to Horsey all the while, to calm and reassure her that everything would be alright.
Horsey was also surprisingly calm and at peace.
Our vet examined Horsey and said she wasn't paralysed at all. (Horsey did not snap at him at all.)
So, what was wrong with her right hind leg then?
According to the vet, Horsey has a dislocated joint and a compound fracture in this leg. A "compound fracture" means the fractured bone has probably seen the "outside world" and bacteria may have entered into the wound. If untreated, it would lead to osteomyeletis (infection of the bone, which in turn may cause kidney problems and the dog might just waste away and die).
Joanne has several options now, but two of the more feasible ones would be:
1. Opt for surgery to repair the fracture and the dislocated joint; this is not only terribly expensive but depending on the immune system of the dog, there is no guarantee that infection of the bone would not still set in even after the surgery. I remember a case where a pin was inserted to rejoin the broken bones of a dog and the dog died after some time.
2. A wiser and safer option would be amputation. Since it's the hind leg and Horsey is quite small-sized, she would be able to cope very well with three legs. As it is now, Horsey is already coping with three legs as she cannot use this injured leg at all. Amputation would be a "clean cut", so to speak, because there won't be room for further infection and more uncertainty as compared with surgery to try to repair the fracture and the dislocation.
Joanne was quite disturbed by the idea of amputation. I do empathise with her as this is probably her first time being faced with such a decision. And, for us humans, losing a limb is a big thing. It is. I totally understand.
So far, we've done Rani's cat, Rahnee (amputation), Julie's cat, Tam Tam (amputation) and Roselin's Countess (dog, amputation of the front leg). All are coping well. It helps when the animal is smaller-sized. Horsey is not a big dog. Countess is much bigger.
If amputation or surgery is not done, osteomyeletis would set in soon and this would lead to pain and suffering, and eventually, death.
While we agree that amputation is the most correct thing to do to save Horsey's life, the vet did caution that if Horsey does not have a caregiver who could nurse her during recuperation and if Horsey is released back to the factory area (where she resides now with many other strays), there is a chance that Horsey will bite off the suture material and it would be a wasted effort. If Horsey goes back to the colony, there is also a chance that she will be bullied by the other dogs since she would be three-legged.
As such, we need a fosterer (or better still, an adopter) for Horsey, at the very least, during her recuperation from the amputation, and until she is strong and confident enough to rejoin the colony. An adopter would be the best, of course.
Horsey, very calm and at peace.
We've explained all the options to Joanne and since she is Horsey's caregiver, we will respect whatever decision she makes for Horsey.
But we strongly encourage Joanne to consider amputation as that would be the most correct option to save Horsey's life.
The vet advised Joanne to first make friends with Horsey over the next few days. Joanne has to gain Horsey's trust and friendship first.
The amputation, if Joanne agrees to it, is not urgent, but should also not be delayed since it is already an open wound and it is slightly infected.
Joanne has some antibiotics from the previous vet and this should be continued, at least to keep the infection at bay.
By the time we finished, it was almost 8pm.
Joanne will need a few days to decide on what she wants done for Horsey.
We will help with our funds (treatment, medication, surgery, amputation, acupuncture, but NOT euthanasia).
Disclaimer: The posting is written based on my layperson's understanding of the vet's diagnosis and may not be absolutely accurate, especially in the use of terminology. I take full responsibility for the inaccuracies, if any. If you have any animal with a similar problem, kindly consult your vet for a proper diagnosis.
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