Prospective evaluation of pancarpal arthrodesis for carpal injuries in working dogs in New Zealand, using dorsal hybrid plating

Figures & data

Figure 1. A selection of hybrid carpal arthrodesis bone plates available, demonstrating tapering of the plates at the distal end, and differences in screw-hole sizes.

Table 1. The age, sex, breed, and weight at treatment of 14 working dogs treated using pancarpal arthrodesis, with cause of injury, and the responses of the owners to a questionnaire on the results of the surgery.

Case	Signalment	Cause of injury	Previous carpal surgery	CAP size (mm)	Type of property	Type of farming	Post-op use of dog	Post-op lameness	Post-op expectations met?	Post-op satisfaction	Complications
1	2-year-old Female Border Collie 20 kg	Jumped off vehicle	No	2.7/3.5 L	Flat	Extensive sheep/beef	Normal duties	Constant gait abnormality, mild intermittent lameness	Yes	Satisfied	Early bandage problems
2	3-year-old Male Heading dog 22 kg	Unknown trauma while working	No	2.7/3.5 L	Hill country	Extensive sheep/beef	Lost to follow-up at 13 months				Early bandage problems. Implant removal at 3 months, ESF applied. Replated at 13 months
3	2-year-old Male Huntaway 38 kg	Unknown trauma while working	No	3.5/3.5 XL	Flat	Intensive beef	Normal duties	Normal gait, no lameness	Yes	Very satisfied
4	6-year-old Male Heading dog 26 kg	Unknown trauma while working	No	3.5/3.5 XL	Hill country	Extensive sheep/beef	Most duties with allowances	Constant gait abnormality, mild persistent lameness	No	Fair	Loosening of implant. Removal recommended but not undertaken
5	3-year-old Male Mixed-breed 36 kg	Fell off cliff	No	2.7/3.5 XL	Flat	Dairy	Most duties with allowances	Constant gait abnormality, mild intermittent lameness	Yes	Very satisfied
6	4-year-old Male Heading dog 20 kg	Septic arthritis	Yes, transarticular ESF	2.7/3.5 L	Rolling hill country	Extensive sheep/beef	Some duties but limited use	Constant gait abnormality, moderate, persistent lameness	Yes	Fair
7	7-year-old Female Huntaway 36 kg	Cattle ran over dog	Yes, partial carpal arthrodesis	2.7/3.5 XL	Rolling hill country	Extensive sheep/beef	Most duties with allowances	Normal gait, no lameness	Yes	Very satisfied
8	3-year-old Male Huntaway 29 kg	Fell down bank	Yes, medial carpal wire	2.7/3.5 XL	Hard hill country	Extensive sheep/beef	Most duties with allowances	Constant gait abnormality, mild intermittent lameness	Yes	Very satisfied
9	4-year-old Female Huntaway 27 kg	Unknown trauma while working	No	2.7/3.5 XL	Hill country	Extensive sheep/beef	Most duties with allowances	Constant gait abnormality, mild intermittent lameness	Yes	Very satisfied
10	7-year-old Male Hunting dog 26 kg	Hunting	No	2.7/3.5 XL	Hard hill country	Hunting	Lost to follow-up at 2 months
11	5-year-old Male Huntaway 29 kg	Unknown trauma while working	No	2.7/3.5 XL	Hill country	Extensive sheep/beef	Most duties with allowances	Constant gait abnormality, mild intermittent lameness	Yes	Very satisfied	Implant removal at 7 months
12	5-year-old Male Cattle dog 23 kg	Fell down bank	No	2.7/3.5 XL	Rolling hill country	Intensive beef	Most duties with allowances	Constant gait abnormality, mild intermittent lameness	Yes	Very satisfied
13	1-year-old Male Huntaway 26 kg	Unknown trauma while working	No	2.7/3.5 XL	Rolling hill country	Extensive sheep/beef	Normal duties	Normal gait, no lameness	Yes	Very satisfied
14	9-year-old Male GSD 41 kg	Jumping over fence	No	3.5/3.5 XL	Urban terrain	Urban police work	Some duties but limited use	Constant gait abnormality, mild intermittent lameness	Yes	Fair	Implant removal at 6 months
CAP = hybrid carpal arthrodesis bone plate; Post-op = post-operative; XL = extra long; L = long; ESF = external skeletal fixator; GSD = German Shepherd dog

Figure 2. Dorsopalmar radiographs of a working dog with instability of the medial side of the carpus and subluxation of the antebrachioradial joint (arrow). The image on the left (L) has a stress force applied laterally, the image in the middle (N) has no stress applied, and the image on the right (M) has a stress force applied medially.

Figure 3. Post-operative mediolateral (ML) and dorsopalmar (DP) radiographs of a working dog, with application of a nine-hole 2.7/3.5-mm carpal arthrodesis bone plate.

Figure 4. Mediolateral radiograph of a working dog taken approximately 6 months following surgery for pancarpal arthrodesis, demonstrating evidence of lucency around the proximal and distal ends of the carpal arthrodesis bone plate.