ALL

We wanted to spotlight some of the animals that come into the clinic. We decided on making a special section for Pet of the Month. Each month the staff at All Pets will be choosing a pet that has a unique story behind it's life and showcase them as the Pet of the Month. If your pet is chosen we will put a picture of them on the website for that month with their story, and you will receive a $10 gift certificate to be used at our clinic. If you have a special story you would like to share with us about your pets, please feel free to call us at 507-524-3748 e-mail us at allpets@hickorytech.net.

Ivy before having the wraps around her external fixator changed

IVY!!!

When she came to us Ivy was an 8 week old lab cross puppy. Her owner, Johnny Hagen of New Richland, brought her to us because she had been attacked by another dog and would not put any weight on her left front leg. In spite of her injury, Ivy’s tail never stopped wagging full speed as she licked anybody who let their face get too close. Maybe she got her good cheer from her owner, because Johnny has been joking and laughing every time he comes here. Examination and x-rays showed that she had a fracture of her radius and ulna, the two bones in her front leg just below her elbow. The best method for repair in such an energetic youngster was external fixation, which involved surgery and placing pins through both bones that connect to a bar running down the side of her leg. This method for fixing fractures is very stable and keeps the bones in place in spite of the rotational stresses of that part of the leg.

Ivy’s surgery went great! Jonny brought her back every week to have the wraps changed. Every week she would run up to all of us and say “hey there!” before getting her sedation injection to evaluate her surgery and change her wraps. Johnny reported that she was jumping, running, and playing, which especially made Dr. Klein cringe while wondering how the external fixator was holding everything together. So we were all looking forward to week 6 when she could have the external fixator removed. Well, she came in for her appointment to have the fixator removed, and she was using her broken leg normally but … the same dog that had broke her leg in the first place had gotten loose and attacked her again. Now she wouldn’t put any weight on her “good” leg. More x-rays showed a dislocation in the joint that is similar to our wrist joint, and bite wounds extending into the joint that developed infection. So we removed the external fixator (that leg had healed magnificently), and treated her other injuries.

Ivy has a great owner just like a lot of our patients do, and he was incredibly patient and understanding. In spite of a long run of repeat visits that were often uncomfortable, the only change in Ivy was that she grew bigger. She was just as “hey you are my BEST friend let me lick your face” on her last visit as her first. So we decided to make Ivy our January Pet of the Month, and we all hope that she has a healthy 2009!

Our Hours
Monday – Thursday 7:15-12:00 and 1:00-5:30
Friday 7:15-12:00 1:00-5:00
Every other Saturday 8:00-12:00

All Pets Medicine, Surgery and Rehabilitation Clinic, PA
106 Hwy 22 South
P.O. Box 477
Mapleton, MN 56065
507-524-3748

After-Hours Emergency
(507) 524-3748

Ivy leg after surgery (external fixation)

Just before removing the external fixator from Ivy's leg. The rod running along side her leg connects to the pins that go into her broken bone to hold it together.

Ivy after her surgery