 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Poppy, an eight month old rabbit, was brought to the Emergency Service at the QMHA after injuring her right forelimb fighting with another rabbit.
After receiving pain killers, x-rays of Poppy’s leg confirmed that both bones in her foreleg were broken, midway between her elbow and carpus (wrist). After discussion with Poppy’s owners she was transferred to the care of the orthopaedic team and surgeon Sandra Corr.
Poppy was anaesthetised for her surgery and further x-rays taken to plan the repair. As her bones were too small for the bone plates typically used in larger patients with this injury, a frame would need to be created from small pins drilled into the bone.
During surgery four pins were placed on either side of the fracture, with two long pins at each end. The long pins were placed through the leg with 2cm of pin emerging through the skin on either side, while the short pins alternated which side they emerged from. To help the short pins grip onto the bone a fine thread like a screw was cut into them.
With all the pins in place a final x-ray checked they were well positioned and that the fractured bones had been correctly re-aligned. The tips of the pins outside the skin were then carefully bent to 90 degrees and wrapped in a special fast-setting cement to create a solid bar joining them together.
Poppy recovered from her anaesthetic in the Intensive Care Unit after surgery. Being very small it was extra important that she was kept warm, and a hot air blanket was used to warm her without the risk of burning her skin.
The day after surgery Poppy started eating, a sure sign in rabbits of feeling better, so Sandra allowed her to go home with painkillers and strict instructions to keep her separate from the other rabbits! Poppy was anaesthetised again and x-rays of the fracture site showed that the bones had healed very well. The pins were removed and the leg checked again before Poppy was allowed to wake up and go home.
Poppy’s owners were advised to keep her quiet for another few weeks to enable the pin holes in the bone to fill in and regain their normal strength. It is expected that Poppy will make a complete recovery and live a normal life.
