My English setter shattered her elbow today grouse hunting. Left lateral humeral condyle. Options are an expensive surgery that has a moderate risk of failure. If the surgery failed they would have to amputate the front leg. Or a less expensive amputation in the beginning and avoid the risk of her rebreaking it with a failure down the road. Any vets on here have an opinion on this. Sorry I didn't get pics of the x-ray but the vet described it as a "really gnarly break.". The x-rays looked really bad to me. Anyone have 3 legged dogs that get around okay?

Sorry to hear Wild, I hope it all works out in a good way.

Osky

Most dogs will get around fine on 3. recovery is a short time and done.

Surgery is 50/50 with long recovery and always a chance of issues. Hunting dogs are hard to keep quiet during recovery time and may create more issues.

I am not a veterinarian but we own a boarding facility and see hundreds of dogs a year. These are my observations for experience with our clientele.

Have Had and been around several working dogs ( stock cattle dogs ) that were 3 legged and didn't slow them down one bit. Hope all turns out well for you and your dog

I would have em lop it off and get better quick. And back out
Hunting. What is cheaper?

Thanks guys I'm leaning towards having them amputate it since it's half the cost of surgery and once they do that there isn't much recovery time or risk of reinjure. But a big decision to make as well. If it was a hind leg I wouldn't hesitate to have the just amputate. But having one front leg will create issues in her good leg over time.

So what the heck happen Idaho, how did she bust up her elbow so bad?

Inspiring dirtydog... Perhaps I could make something like that

I didn't quite see what happened but I had just let her and my GSP out of the truck and she was running around getting the jitters out and I think she ran into a stump hidden in the brush.

Wild Idaho, sorry to hear about your dog. My buddy has a b&t hound with 3 legs and it will run bears and lions all day and keep pace with his other hounds

Front leg or hind leg missing?

my neighbor had a 3 legged coon hound , got around well .

it was a rear leg

Dang! Sorry to hear that wild_idaho. I’ve seen a few 3 legged dogs. They all looked happy as can be. Good luck and best wishes.

front right. it was hit by a truck while chasing a bear.

Adam, that's some good news. I just want her to be able to hunt, even if it's not at full capacity. That dog loves to run and hunt. Wouldn't be fair to her to have her career ended at 3. I'm leaning towards having them just amputate the leg but am continuing to do more research on the matter.

I use to trap a farm, the farmer had a dog that was missing both legs on one side. He got caught in a hay mower. The guy said he was going to shoot him, but he couldn't make himself do it. layed him in the barn on some straw, figured on burying him in the morning.The next morning the dog was alive, and recovered without going to a vet. This dog could run right with the other two dogs he had. It was something to see. Animals are amazing.

Coon hunted with a fella whose dog had front leg amputated after getting hung in a tree. Never slowed that dog down.

Sorry about your dog, I have seen video of a very good 3 legged decoy dog used for coyotes, didn’t slow him down at all.

Eric a friend had a Australian shepherd that snapped a front leg way up high they amputated the leg and it learned how to flop down on the empty space without the leg and slide up and nip the cow, steer or bull and not get kicked or hurt in anyway.
They ran cows in some wide open and wild country , it wasn't babied or given a free pass and enjoyed a long life out on a ranch doing what it loved doing.

Allan it has been my experience that good cattle dogs are incredible animals period.

Osky