19/08/2025
🏌️♂️A Swing and a Miss - a Ruff day on the Green ⛳
Talk about a ruff day on the green! After being hit by a golf ball (with incredibly bad luck, unfortunate timing and from a 7-iron, for those who are curious) when running across a golf green, Charlotte was rushed to YRAH. She was seen by Dr Ben Fell, who’s seen many orthopaedic injuries in his career, but never one from golfing! Upon examination, it was obvious that she had a fracture in her hindlimb, but with her x-rays under sedation, it was identified that she had a badly fractured tibia and fibula. Charlotte’s fracture was stabilised in a cast overnight and repaired the following day.
Orthopaedic surgeries require the utmost level of sterility and every precaution needs to be taken to prevent infection, so the patient had intravenous fluids, antibiotics and extensive pain relief and the fracture site was very carefully fixed using a combination of a bone pin and bone plate with screws that lock into the plate (this is called a ‘plate-rod construct’). After closing up, post-operative x-rays were taken to check how everything looked and if the fracture site was held together well by the implants.
Although the extremely cool and Transformer-esque surgical procedure was over, the healing had only just begun. Charlotte was sent home with pain relief, antibiotics and strict instructions of 12 weeks of rest and very limited activity (running, jumping and any boisterous play considered as certified goofball behaviour were strictly banned, as any overactivity could cause the implant to be loosened, bent or even refracture the injury site!).
After 8 weeks, x-rays were repeated to see how the leg was healing, and we were very pleased with the results! The bone was close to 100% fully healed, the implants still nicely in place, and with that she was allowed 15 minutes of walking a day and could go back to normal goofball behaviour after a month!!!
And with that, another job done and dusted at Yarra Ranges Animal Hospital. Although we love to see and treat your pets, we also hate to see them in pain too. So just remember:
• We’re here for you if you ever need
• Quick action allows for quick response and treatment
• A 7-iron has a lot more firepower than you think!
