Puppy with upward-facing paws healing from “difficult” surgery. He’s making his first attempts at walking today. It was an unforgettable experience!
Siggi, the puppy, was different from the rest. When an eight-week-old should be racing around and frolicking, Siggi was restricted to a slower pace, getting around with a motion comparable to a forearm scooch. The two front paws of a beagle and raccoon hound hybrid faced the top of his head instead of downwards due to a natural elbow issue. When Siggi was 13 weeks old, his owners introduced him to Dr. Erik Clary, who later conducted the dog’s surgery.
Siggi couldn’t walk because his elbows were out of alignment. ‘No matter how hard he tried, all he could come up with was a hobbled and apparently uncomfortable’ army bottleneck,’ Erik Clary, associate professor of micro beast surgery at the Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Lores, stated.
Siggi’s infirmity didn’t stop her from disporting and trying to accomplish whatever they did; she just did it in an army-style bottleneck. Her style of moving, however, put her elbows, shoulders, and chin at risk. After Sigi was handed over to the Beast Rescue Association, Clary and his troops performed remedial surgery on him. Clary said he’s only encountered three cases of Siggi’s unique disease, which required “very complex” surgery, in over 30 years of performing surgeries.
“We had to adjust the joint in each of his elbows.” He continued, “We also put a leg across the joint to hold it straight as his growing bones begin to form and his body lays down the internal scar towel that will be necessary for long-term stability.”
As a result, Siggi endured a tough procedure and was encased in a brilliant orange plaster with lobes and essence to help her bones recover properly. Siggi had to learn to walk in order to eliminate the casts, but that didn’t deter the eager canine volunteer.
Watch the videotape to see her learning to walk up a ramp while getting rewards at the end of each minor effort.
“I couldn’t be happier with Siggi’s development,” the surgeon added.
