German Shepherd Rescue Victoria (GSRV), a wonderful welfare organisation that takes care of unwell and unwanted
German Shepherds sought our advice recently for Pippi. Have a look at her with her big cumbersome bandages on her front legs! Pippi was an unwanted pet store pup that was struggling to walk. The original vet clinic had her in these dressings due to weakness in her legs for over a month, and every time the dressings were removed, her condition worsened.
GSRV sought our advice knowing Dr Karin Davids is an expert in musculoskeletal disorders (especially hip dysplasia), and developmental bone disorders, and her carer was at the end of her tether wondering if she would need to euthanise her. Dr Davids advised – No. The bandages are actually causing the damage by not allowing her tendons to strengthen. All she needs is high quality nutrition (as she suspected she was on poor nutrition from the pet store) and time for her to heal, so long as the incorrect treatment thus far had not caused irreversible damage. However Pippi unfortunately had more problems than this. She had a rotational deformity in her left front leg due to a growth plate abnormality, as well as severe hip dysplasia.
She was going to need a lot of work, correct advice and luck!
More on Pippi in the following weeks…