Young Yorkshire Terrier pup Willow was referred to VREC by her primary care veterinarian for radius and ulna fractures. Radiographs had already been taken that confirmed the fractures, however, her particular injuries would involve surgery to fix the fractures by using bone plates.
The radius and ulna bones in dogs comprise the forearm. Because of the formation of the forearm, both bones tend to fracture at the same time. These kinds of fractures represent some of the most common in dogs, with many occurring in small breeds. Although various techniques can be used for the treatment of radius and ulna fractures in small breed dogs, bone plating remains one of the most frequent methods of stabilization for these types of fractures.
Once Willow qualified for the Angel Fund, our surgery team performed a procedure to to correct the fractured bones using plates. She recovered uneventfully in our hospital and was sent home to fully recover at home. Because she is a puppy (less than one year old), repeat radiographs will be taken to ensure she has healed properly.