I have no idea if anyone here has any experiences but figured I'd ask.  If anyone remembers in february we picked up a GSP foster who was supposed to come to us, be spayed, go to her already lined up home.  Well we picked her up Thursday, Saturday she delivered 7 pups in our office.  So long story short we raised the litter, placed them all through a different mixed breed rescue, and mom was spayed and  went on to the home that waited 10 long weeks for her!

One of the pups from the litter was born with a deformed front paw.  We have brought her to an ortho vet specialist (well respected know his work well through rescue and friends so while a second opinion is always good I trust this man and his orthopedic work and going to someone else doesn't make a whole lot of difference as I would trust this doc's opinion).  At 8 weeks old Abby (the puppy)'s leg was ok -- meaning the deformity was below the elbow, a torsional rotation in the bone and her wrist joint is just totally wacky.  Her weight distribution was different but her elbow was normal.  He surgically removed her deformed dew claw that was very much like a lobster claw and we just waited for 2 months for a follow up.

Fast forward to last week 2 month follow up.  The deformity in the leg is now throwing off the entire elbow joint.  One bone in the leg is growing faster/longer than the other the joint is already being thrown off and will only get worse.  Surgical options include cutting the shorter bone, putting a ring fixater around the leg and pins in the bone and turning the pins daily to elongate the bone then removing the rings once she's full grown (6 mo old now) and letting the cut (a fracture for all intensive purposes) heal. 

This surgery is ONLY to address the elbow which is being thrown off from the growth oddities from the deformity below it.  It doesn't solve any of the potential issues that may stem for the actually deformed wrist joint and foot. 

So.  We are feeling very strongly against putting her through months of discomfort in the ring fixater to save a leg that may only go on to create more pain.  She is a high energy 1/2 GSP pup that has lived thus far a member of our pack.  Holding her own with the big dogs from about 10 weeks old on.  She is spunky and took on the big dogs in wrestling and racing around the yard from the begining.  She is also a total love bug that loves to be with the dogs and us all the time.

So has anyone had any experience with amputation and the recovery?  it is a front leg, which I understand is harder on them than a back leg.  Thoughts appreciated!

This past winter I visited a local vet that works out of her home. Like many vets she's got a sizable batch of dogs she's collected. Most of them are retriever mixes, but there was also a little 'rat dog' (chihuaua or min pin mix?) that was trotting and running around in the snow.... WITH TWO LEGS. Don't ask me how! And I noticed the big dogs were giving him some healthy respect. Attitude just oozed off the little scrapper, LOL.

There's also a pit that I've seen running beside his owner on a bike all over town with an amputated front leg. He obviously loves the exercise.

SO.... If the outcome of the (painful and awful sounding) screw proceedure is likely to be marginal, I'd definately choose the amputation. I'm guessing she'll be perfectly happy as a pet, although she may still need plenty of activity.

Both of my previous pair of GSPs developed bone cancer in a front leg and both had amputations--one was ten, the other almost 13.  Both recovered beautifully and remained very active.  The only one who was bothered by it seemed to be ME until I got over the queasy feeling.  It seems awful to do that to a puppy but a dog doesn't know that it is "mutilated" or "missing something."    It sounds as though it might be the best choice.

She is actually such an active little bugger in order to do the other procedure we'll need to sedate her daily to help take the edge off   I struggle with doing something like that with marginal to potentially no positive result (she may go on to need MORE surgeries on her wrist joint) with out being able to explain it to her.  She'll just be in pain, on pain meds and some sedation when she's very used to racing around the yard after her buddies.  It really sucks, we were so hopeful it wouldn't come to this!

I saw a three legged dog get a prize one in a NAVHDA Utility test and it passed the Invitational the following year.  Here's a story about the dog.

http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2004/10/10/news/state/sta01.txt

Of course you will need to make the decision along with the vet, with  hopefully with some solid "guesses" on the success of the "rings" and the possibility of future problems.   I know exactly how you feel about doing things that make her miserable without being able to explain "Its to make you better, later!"   I hope I don't sound like "Dr. Saw" but if you do decide to do the amputation, I can almost promise that you won't regret it.  The dog certainly won't.   After the initial discomfort wears off, it will be life as usual for her.  (Aren't dogs lucky!)

And if you ever watch any of the "Animal Cops" type shows, it seems like almost every week there's a dog that has to have a leg amputated--and at the end of the show, they always feature the dog tearing around the yard of its new owners!

A friend of mine has a gs that had a front leg amputated after he jumped out of a car window on the interstate. Gets around fine, in fact will chase a care up to about 35 with ease. That led to his second injury, the mailman ran him over and shattered a back leg. Lots of hardward did get it put back together, but for about year he ran on two legs, on one side. He used the injured back leg as a 'kickstand' when standing, but held it up while moving. He does use it now and gets along find. He has figured out not to chase cars!

The post op will be much easier with an amputation and it will be final.

35 Trey?  Your pup can only do 27 beside a 4 wheeler.

Parshal, you keep forgetting he gets half of his gene's from his mother! Heck, dad is still trotting at 14!

When we were contacted by a barn-type shelter about a GSP needing to get into rescue, we were not certain of his condition, fully.  We were told Petey had a leg injury, but what we picked up that day, was a bit more then we expected. Rescue was broke, as always.  Petey barely used his front right leg, and sorta teetered on the other three, and sometimes balaced with that bad leg.  The WGSPR board of directors felt it would be in this GSPs best interest to let him go.  I mean, you must take into consideration the dogs injuries, the financial burden for one dog, with what could be spent on saving so many others, and what is in this dog's best interest, for his quality of life?  It is always agonizing making this call for dogs in our care.  Who would want to adopt a "three legger"?  Petey's wonderful foster mother was not going to let us put Petey down.  NO way.  So she kicked up donations from family members, and friends, and took Petey to the vet for Xrays to see just what WAS going on with that leg.  Turned out at some point when Petey was a puppy his growth plate in that elbow stopped growing, so that leg is shorter and sorta malformed then the others.  Yes, Petey has arthritis, and it could be Petey will require surgery one day for repair.  Now we knew at least what we were dealing with for Petey.  And so Petey's foster mom decided if the "right" adopter came along, she would let him go.  Petey and his mom worked the WI Pet Expo in Feb.  (pic below)  And 4 yr old Petey was the hit of the show!  He is big, and lanky, with lots of white flecks across his face.  He looks like a well aged GSP, but in all reality, Petey is still a youngster!  He has the calmest temperament for a GSP.  And Petey gets around just fine, just the way he is.  He hunts his back yard, and has two brothers, and a wonderful mom.  Cuz when that right adopter finally DID come around, Petey's foster mom announced Petey was ALREADY home and that is where he will stay! 

http://www.gsplady.com/Cheryl.Petey.Show.06.jpg

Only YOU can decide what is best for your dog.  Best wishes...