Veterinarians at the University of Liverpool have totally replaced the hip of a Miniature Horse. Duncan arrived at the clinic in July severely lame in his hind leg; a CT scan showed that he had dislocated the left hip joint and damaged the head of the femur beyond repair.
Duncan's vet, Dr. Dave Stack, discussed treatment options with some small-animal surgical specialists. As Duncan weighed under 200 pounds, they felt that a total hip replacement was an option to offer pain relief and a good quality of life.
The procedure had been tried before in small ponies but had failed. To be a success, teamwork between equine and small animal surgeons was paramount; anesthesiologists and internal medicine were also integral to a successful outcome.
The surgery team placed a hip implant used on large dogs in Duncan. The gelding stayed in the clinic for over three weeks and required 24/7 supervision. He also required intensive physiotherapy to return to normal function. He is now able to walk and trot almost normally, the vets report.
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