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By Dr Daisy May, MRCVS BVSc, VetPrac
There’s been a limping afoot in consult room two.
You clock it before the door even shuts. The owner has clocked it too. The dog clocks nothing, because there’s a scrap of hairy liver treat under the chair and priorities are priorities.
Something about the movement is off.
The pelvis dips, then recovers. The turn is a three-point manoeuvre, and the sit is not neat and square, but rather a work of slightly abstract art. Weight distribution, suspicious.
You examine the scene.
Stance: altered.
Turns: wide.
Transitions: a bit wonky.
Epaxials: suddenly very involved.
Remaining limbs: under pressure.
The left hindlimb is not lame.
It’s not in attendance.
We’ve all seen post-amputation dogs be extraordinary at adapting. But of course, limb loss changes things; loading, balance and the job description of leftover legs. Epaxial muscles, too: these may potentially experience fatigue, soreness or increased tone, especially initially.
In a hindlimb amputee, forelimb load is obviously increased too.
GP move: check shoulders, elbows, carpi, but also feet, pads and nails. Maintain appropriate BCS (nurse and tech consults for regular weigh-ins if indicated!)
Keep soreness and early OA on your radar; limbs and spine. Physics can be criminal.
Home might involve tiles, stairs, wooden floors (fancy) and cars. Possibly also owners who don’t weightlift.
GP move: suggest realistic (preferable to idealistic) practical changes. Rugs, runners, ramps, blocked furniture. Don’t suggest they rip out the oak flooring to install carpet. PetSafe telescoping dog ramps work well for cars.
Their camera roll also works here. ‘He’s ok’ can mean many, many things.
GP move: ask for short clips of rising, walking on normal home flooring, using stairs, and getting in or out of the car to assess progress.
Evidence is useful, but building a case file will only get you so far. Clues are less useful when they don’t translate into a plan.
GP move: if you’re keen to make rehab a bigger part of your practice, you might want to focus on refining your clinical assessment, and building really relevant practical skills.
For this and to discover how to plan and adapt rehab programs for your surgical, musculoskeletal and neuro patients consider attending a hands-on rehabilitation workshop.
We’ve actually got one you can check out here – what are the odds!
Not limited to tripods. Various four-legged canine volunteers in attendance.
Bringing your detective hat is an optional fashion choice.
Aka, compliance-friendly ramp training in two steps.
Case closed.
Margie is the Director of VetPrac and a globally respected veterinary anaesthetist, dedicated to practical, inclusive, and human-centred veterinary education. She began her career in general practice across Australia and the UK, grounding her teaching in real-world clinical experience. Specialising in anaesthesia and analgesia, Margie earned Membership of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists, completed a residency at Cornell University (USA), and became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. Her academic roles in the USA and Australia have focused on veterinary education, communication, and skills training. Since 2019, Margie has led VetPrac, delivering hands-on workshops and online courses that continue to inspire lifelong learning for veterinarians, nurses, and technicians.
Connect with Dr Margie:
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