A puppy born with its front paws turned upward will get a chance to walk like a normal dog thanks to the folks at Oklahoma State University’s veterinary centre — doctors there have performed corrective surgery on the young pup.
Milo, a five-week-old hound, underwent surgery to correct a rare condition that caused the dog’s front paws to face upward instead of its pads and claws downward.
Dr. Erik Clary explained in a statement his team determined Milo’s problem to be “congenital dislocation of both elbows.”
“With both elbows out of joint, Milo was unable to walk. Try as he may, the best he could do was an inefficient and seemingly uncomfortable ‘army crawl,’” Clary said. “It is very unusual, but also very debilitating. So when we do see it, something needs to be done.”
The doctor noted that he’s only seen three patients with this disorder in his 27 years of performing surgeries.
The dog was under anesthesia for about three hours while Clary performed the “complicated” surgery.
“For each of his elbows, we had to go into the joint and restore the alignment. Then we placed a pin across the joint to keep it straight while his growing bones continue to take shape and his body lays down the internal scar tissue that will be needed for long-term stability,” the surgeon said. “He will have to wear the splint for about three weeks. Then we’re going to remove it and take out the pins.
“The hope is that by that time his body will have done what it needs to do to keep the elbows stable,” Clary said.
According to local CBS Channel 6 News, the rescue group that took Milo to the university covered the cost of dog’s surgery.
According to Oliver and Friends Farm Rescue and Sanctuary in Luther, Milo is recovering well and “is back to his feisty barking self and his pain is being managed.”