GD, a 70lb, 3 year old canine
mix is a water baby. She and her housemate can be found frolicking around the
water most any weekend. However, one day
this summer play went wrong. While jumping off the dock, GD caught her left
rear leg in the motor of a boat.
When she arrived at the HAH
she was anxious, to say the least, and bleeding profusely. An exam and x-rays
with Dr. Carlos showed a degloving injury* isolated to her foot with multiple tendon
lacerations and two fractured metatarsal bones (foot.) GD was very lucky.
Surgery was necessary and the
wound was immediately prepped. Large amounts of dirt and grease from the boat motor
were cleaned out prior to any repair. The
superficial extensor tendon was severed completely and un-repairable while the
2nd metatarsal bone was reconstructed using soft tissue and allowed to heal by
callus formation. The skin was partially closed to allow for drainage and a
splint was placed to stabilize the fractures.
An extended schedule of antibiotics
and bandage changes were then made. Over a period of one month, GD returned to
the HAH for multiple bandage changes; some every few days and later, once a week.
GD needed to keep calm and quiet to allow the wound/bone to heal. A task, easier
said then done with all of her energy. During these weeks she continued her mischievous
behavior chewing on her bandage and even jumping back in the water a few times.
However, today, GD is “back
to normal”. While the bones are still in the process of healing, the wounds are
gone and her spirits are better then ever. Complete bone healing will take some
time and GD may always have a limp in her walk but most will never know the
extent of her injuries.
GD was a love to have as a
patient and a real trooper for all the bandage changes. She had a very
interesting summer and certainly makes a great success story.
(The last few pictures are of GD's wounds and may be graphic to some)
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