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Use of an ankle‐foot orthosis in a dog with traumatic sciatic neuropathy
Author(s) -
Levine J. M.,
Fitch R. B.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of small animal practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1748-5827
pISSN - 0022-4510
DOI - 10.1111/j.1748-5827.2003.tb00150.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ankle , surgery , crush injury , gait , amputation , arthrodesis , foot (prosody) , lameness , sciatic nerve , gunshot wound , physical medicine and rehabilitation , anesthesia , linguistics , philosophy , alternative medicine , pathology
Traumatic unilateral sciatic neuropathy secondary to a gunshot wound was diagnosed in a seven‐month‐old, intact male golden retriever. Findings on neurological assessment, performed after cardiovascular stabilisation, were incompatible with a return to normal limb function. An ankle‐foot orthosis was used to correct excessive flexion of the digits and tarsus. This device greatly improved the dog's willingness to ambulate and could serve as an alternative to amputation in companion animals with severe sciatic axonotmesis or neurotmesis. Complications associated with chronic tibiotarsal hyperflexion necessitated a pantarsal arthrodesis one year after initial presentation; the dog also developed cranial cruciate disease in the affected limb three years after the gunshot injury.