Save the good parts! What your clients want you to know about subtotal amputation and prosthetics in the veterinary patient

Authors: Mich PM
Publication: Proceedings of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) Annual Conferences, Volume 2014 AVA Annual Conference, Perth, Issue Integrative, May 2014
Publisher: Australian Veterinary Association

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Abstract: We all know quadrupeds are biomechanically distinct from bipeds. Knowledge of the components of normal quadruped gait guides treatment of pathomechanical deficiencies. Quadrupeds who suffer total or partial loss of limb are biomechanically distinct from bipeds with similar loss even though comparisons are sometimes drawn due to a paucity of data for the former. Asymmetrical loading of the remaining limbs and functional deficiencies such as loss of plantar and palmar flexor power in propulsion are now being realized. Although not clearly quantified they are being defined in part through the efforts of pain management veterinarians (the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia {ACVAA} and the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, {IVAPM})1,2, sports medicine specialists (the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, {ACVSMR})3, and rehabilitation therapists (the American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians {AARV})4. Their efforts are enabling us to understand clearly the biomechanics of quadruped locomotion and the implications when it is lost.

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