10 year old mixed shepherd-I left my girl with our dog sitter Thursday, we flew to the states Friday…Thursday she jumped a fence (as she does) for a squirrel, Landed, yelped and stopped weight bearing. Sitter got her into the vet and she snapped her humerus. Options are surgery or euthenasia…she has arthritis but that doesn’t slow her down. I can’t get out of my own head to think about it clearly. She’s is good health otherwise, happy, still hates other dogs with a fiery passion. Has anyone ever had to do major surgery on their dog? I guess I’m looking for advice on whether it’s humane to put my girl through it. The monetary cost is inconsequential in the deciding factor.
10 y/o dog broke her humerus- struggling with what to do
- Thread starter mudmixer
- Start date
@mudmixer Has the vet weighed in on the pros and cons of surgery? Are they expecting everything to go well and for your dog to heal up well?
If she’s in good health and the surgery is expected to go well, then considering euthanasia seems a bit extreme. Dogs get surgeries and are fine all the time. I don’t have experience with a dog with a broken bone surgery though.
If she’s in good health and the surgery is expected to go well, then considering euthanasia seems a bit extreme. Dogs get surgeries and are fine all the time. I don’t have experience with a dog with a broken bone surgery though.
@daddyof2 She started explaining about surgery and how my dog, as a large breed (runt of her litter, only 80 lbs, smallest by far) she was at the end of her life expectancy? And more talked about the complications and if she died from infection or poor healing or a rebreak then went to euthanasia. I get that they want people to be realistic about putting their dogs through hell, but she just turned 10, but she also broke her humerus in a really bad way.
sergeant98
New member
@mudmixer My dog had a cancer surgery at age 10 and he’s going to be 15 in September. 91 lb Shepherd/Chow mix. If your dog is still active enough to be jumping fences regularly, I feel like there is a good chance she would handle surgery just fine. Also please consider adding ““dog proofing” measures to your fence so she is no longer able to jump over. Good luck!
@monk58 I’ve just kind of accepted her trigger at this point-we have a word I use to let her know there’s a dog heading towards us if she doesn’t see it first so there’s no surprises, and I avoid leash walking all together and just head for this patch of forest we have permission to walk so she can be off leash without issue.
I’m talking with the vet Sunday again, it’s a long weekend (of course) here in Canada and I’m flying home from vacation right now to go look after her.
I’m talking with the vet Sunday again, it’s a long weekend (of course) here in Canada and I’m flying home from vacation right now to go look after her.
@mudmixer If it helps ease your mind at all - my girl tore her CCL (dog equivalent of ACL) when she was 10. We did the surgery, PT, and paid extra for water and laser therapy after. She is 13 now, still going strong and goes on multiple walks a day. Little bit slower now, but it was worth every penny we paid.
Her reactivity is not extreme and she does not mind the vet, us touching her, picking her up, or manipulating her legs. Not sure of your situation but if we thought therapy or helping her get up and down would have been an issue during recovery, we probably wouldn’t have made the same choices.
Best of luck; and know there is no “right” decision. You love your pup and have given her many wonderful years she might not have had with a different family.
Her reactivity is not extreme and she does not mind the vet, us touching her, picking her up, or manipulating her legs. Not sure of your situation but if we thought therapy or helping her get up and down would have been an issue during recovery, we probably wouldn’t have made the same choices.
Best of luck; and know there is no “right” decision. You love your pup and have given her many wonderful years she might not have had with a different family.
highlyfavored85
New member
@summertt8 My dog tore his ccl at 10 and is now 13 as well. Maybe they are long lost twins?
@highlyfavored85 Vet bill twins at least!! 
@lesstesty Sorry for your loss 
@mudmixer Does surgery have to be a bone repair or can they amputate? Recovery time will be quicker with an amp and she can live a comfy life with arthritis management. Bonus, lower cost.
Edit to add: used to work in vet med and have seen old dogs recover from surgery well. Bonus again with shorter and simpler recovery. I’ve also had an 11 year old hound who had a double mastectomy and spay who did well (shelter dog came into the clinic and I adopted her once she recovered, I didn’t neglect my dog for 11 years). I would consider euthanasia if you think her other behavior and or medical conditions would hamper her quality of life in conjunction with this injury. Good luck!
Edit to add: used to work in vet med and have seen old dogs recover from surgery well. Bonus again with shorter and simpler recovery. I’ve also had an 11 year old hound who had a double mastectomy and spay who did well (shelter dog came into the clinic and I adopted her once she recovered, I didn’t neglect my dog for 11 years). I would consider euthanasia if you think her other behavior and or medical conditions would hamper her quality of life in conjunction with this injury. Good luck!
@larryzz Same thoughts here regarding amputation. I have a senior hind leg amputee who had surgery at an older age and is thriving on 3 legs. Super simple recovery.
ETA - I had a GSD who had major cancer surgery at age 12. Chances were very iffy he’d make it off the table but we had to try. He recovered beautifully and lived another 2.5 years.
ETA - I had a GSD who had major cancer surgery at age 12. Chances were very iffy he’d make it off the table but we had to try. He recovered beautifully and lived another 2.5 years.
@mudmixer It is so hard when you’re not there in person. My dogs have had all kinds of surgeries. The most serious was probably a mandiblectomy. Her lower jaw was removed on one side when she was about 17. I was so worried, but she was up and about, eating and drinking, within days. They don’t wallow in things the way we do.
I’ve known many many dogs who had leg amputations and continued on with life without skipping a beat. She may not be able to jump fences anymore.
I’ve known many many dogs who had leg amputations and continued on with life without skipping a beat. She may not be able to jump fences anymore.
yorkshire81
New member
@mudmixer One of my dogs is 12 and he developed a fast moving cataract that had the potential to progress to glaucoma. His blood work is perfect and he's running strong otherwise so did the surgery without any sort of emergency prompting it to happen to prevent problems in the future. I was more worried about the anesthesia more than anything to be honest but it went totally fine.
keepuslord
New member
@mudmixer I didn't do it for a dog but I did it for my cat who fell 30 ft and broke his pelvic bone (among other substantial injuries as you can imagine). I faced the same decision you are currently facing. I based my decision on the fact that he was likely to heal after many months and a lot of money and I couldn't bring myself to put him down because of cost. We spent the money we had saved for a car to save him but I also realize we were very lucky we had the means to do it.
It was a very hard and expensive healing process but he live another 6 years. I am glad we did it but this is also a very person decision and what you end up choosing will be the right decision for your family. I am sorry you guys are facing this.
It was a very hard and expensive healing process but he live another 6 years. I am glad we did it but this is also a very person decision and what you end up choosing will be the right decision for your family. I am sorry you guys are facing this.
@mudmixer My boxer broke her leg as a pup. She was in a cast for a long time, but it didn't slow her down AT ALL. She would literally use her casted leg as a wrecking ball to smash things out of the way. I think it depends on how bad healing from the surgery would be. I’d probably go for it if the painful period didn’t go on too long, and the result was that my dog would have to wear a cast for a while. However, I’ve known some dogs recovering from ACL surgery who couldn’t walk on their own for over a year. For a 10-year-old dog I would wonder if that was fair.
richard1970
New member
@mudmixer One of my corgis went through two major surgeries— TPLO on both her back legs at the same time when she was about 9, and then brain surgery at 13. I have little terrier now who had a back leg amputated at 11, due to cancer.
From your other comments, it sounds like your vet is on the fence about it. I’m not sure why? 10 is old for a large breed, but another three to five years of life expectancy isn’t unheard of. I know limb surgery is harder on large breeds, though, and forelimb surgery is harder on pets than back limb surgery.
I got a second opinion from a specialist before I did the leg amputation in my little terrier. It made me MUCH more confident about doing it.
If you have to wait until Monday anyway, maybe plan on waking up first thing Monday and calling around to other vets, especially if there’s a veterinary orthopedist practice near enough to you. See if you can get in for an emergency consult. Some 24-hour emergency vets in big cities also have on-call orthopedists.
From your other comments, it sounds like your vet is on the fence about it. I’m not sure why? 10 is old for a large breed, but another three to five years of life expectancy isn’t unheard of. I know limb surgery is harder on large breeds, though, and forelimb surgery is harder on pets than back limb surgery.
I got a second opinion from a specialist before I did the leg amputation in my little terrier. It made me MUCH more confident about doing it.
If you have to wait until Monday anyway, maybe plan on waking up first thing Monday and calling around to other vets, especially if there’s a veterinary orthopedist practice near enough to you. See if you can get in for an emergency consult. Some 24-hour emergency vets in big cities also have on-call orthopedists.