One of the most common causes of forelimb lameness in the dog is elbow dysplasia. Elbow dysplasia is a generic term referring to arthritis in the elbow joint. As in people, arthritis in the dog is painful, resulting in intermittent and persistent lameness, especially following physical activity. Initial signs may appear between 5-12 months of age but often do not get diagnosed until later in life.
Consequences of Elbow Dysplasia
Since elbow dysplasia is a very complex disease there is not one perfect surgery to correct every complication. Surgical options are dependent on the primary problem.
The Proximal Abducting Ulnar Osteotomy (PAUL) imposes a corrective limb alignment, aimed at unloading the medial compartment, thus reducing pain and improving limb use and function.
At Advanced Veterinary Care, we prefer PAUL surgery over other unloading surgeries due to significantly reduced complications. Other surgeries require implants to be applied to the actual joint. These often lead to complications that require arthrodesis or amputation of the forelimb.
Patients can resume normal activity in 10-12 weeks.
Completed PAUL Surgery