Size
(when grown) Med. 26-60 lbs (12-27 kg)
Details
Good with kids,
House-trained,
Story
History: We received a plea to help 3 puppies from a local situation where they were at risk of being thrown out to the streets. A local samaritan stepped forward and welcomed them in until they made their way to Coco’s Heart shortly after. The pups are gorgeous and oh so sweet. They are timid and unsure at first but warm up quickly. A patient and confident family will be important for their success long-term. They each hoping to find their forever home soon!
Jenny’s left front leg is shorter than the right leg. This was likely caused by a prior injury to the 2 bones (radius and ulna) in that front leg. At this point, this disparity in the limb length is not causing any problem. The foster/adopter will need to continue to monitor for any lameness overtime. While in rescue, we will continue to monitor with routine xrays while her legs continue to grow to watch for any developing issues. She can be adopted anytime- her adopter will need to be comfortable taking over this care and following up with their veterinary clinic as needed and directed.
Jenny came to us with a slight bend to her left front leg, and it was a few centimeters shorter than the other front leg. Her foster parent was careful to observe her and noticed that she did seem to be uncomfortable/sore in her elbow after a day of activity. We re-assessed her leg and found that she had been suffering from a condition called “premature physeal closure of the distal ulna” (physeal=growth plate).
Just like in growing children, puppies bones continue to grow in length and width as they mature. There is a small area on the end of each bone (the growth plate, or “physis”) that lays down new bone, contributing to the overall length.
In the special case of the front leg in dogs, there are 2 bones (the radius and the ulna) that both need to grow in sync with each other.If they do not for any reason, the elbow will suffer from the mis-alignment of the bones in that joint.
Premature physeal closure of the distal ulna is one of the more common orthopedic injuries that are seen in dogs. The ulna’s growth plate nearest the paw becomes damaged and stops growing, but the radius continues to grow. Since the bones are both confined on each end by the joint (elbow and wrist), the radius bone is forced to grow into a curve rather than a straight line. This results in a shortened leg, but also pulls the elbow joint out of alignment and leads to early onset elbow arthritis and pain.
The treatment is to remove a portion of the ulna so that the radius can continue to grow without being forced to bend as it does so. The earlier this is done, the better the outcome.
In Jenny’s case, we did not fully understand the full scope of her issue until she was about 5 months old. The surgeon who performed her surgery believes she has a good chance for the elbow joint to be spared, but that it may be too late to expect the leg to straighten out fully or to ever grow to be the same length as the other side.
Jenny will need to be monitored by repeating X rays of her leg every 4-6 weeks to make sure the removed section of ulna does not spontaneously regenerate and re-trap the radius. Her elbow should also be X rayed to monitor the way that joint is maturing. Ultimately, it is possible that she may need another procedure to again remove a portion of the ulna if it does re-generate. In time, that elbow still may be at higher risk for arthritis since it may not remain in perfect alignment.
Only time will tell for sure if the surgery we performed on Jenny will be successful or not.
She will need a family who understands this and is committed to following the recommendations of her veterinarians to assure she remains happy and healthy!
A note from the foster: Jenny is her rescue name but she's never gone by that, she answers to Ruby, Rubes, Ruby Tuesday, or Peanut ❤️
She has been in the same foster home for several months and for her own personal growth, we want to give her the best possible chance at success. It's time for her to spread her wings a little bit!
Here is what you need to know about her:
-1 year old, about 45 lb, boxer/pit mix (best guess)
-Spayed, up to date on vet care
-Had major surgery on her front left ulna in March 2024, it is healed and doing very well but it is still crooked. The vet reports that her range of motion and strength are excellent though - that is just the way she is going to be. Because of this she has a slightly abnormal gait. It rarely causes her pain but she is able to take carprofen as needed if it seems to be bothering her.
-Novelty of any kind is really tough for her, most likely due to lack of proper socialization as a young pup. New people and places are scary but she can adjust with time and space. She is not a brewery dog or a dog park dog, she is a home body.
-Jenny currently takes a daily dose of fluoxetine which has been helping a little with her overall anxiety.
-She gets along with other dogs and enjoys their company, however should not live in a home with another dog due to resource guarding tendencies. Once attached to someone, she will want to guard their attention against another dog.
-Crate & potty trained
-Loves to chew on bones and keeps herself busy with a toy very easily
-She has the silliest zoomies you've ever seen, and when she gets really spicy she likes to dive under the bed and become a little gremlin (see photo)
She is a pretty easy keeper once she has time to adjust and get to know you. She's the perfect balance of silly goofball and snugglebug, it won't take long for her to win you over!
