Is it safe for my dog to keep a surgical rod in his leg long-term?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Stella. If the pin is not causing her any pain or side effects (such as an infection) and is not interfering with a growth plate, then it should be fine to leave it in place. If she is suffering side effects from it, then I would seek a second opinion regarding removing it. I hope this information helps!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is normal for pins to be placed so that they stick out the other cortex (side) of the bone, as this ensures they have a good hold on the fracture fragments to prevent any movement of the fragments. As long as Toby does not develop an infection in his bone around any of the pins, and he is not exhibiting any discomfort from them, he will likely be able to have the pins in for the rest of his life. If you notice that the pins seem to be protruding more than usual, or if Toby is lame/painful on the affected leg, it is possible the pin(s) could have migrated inappropriately and/or could have become infected. This would require a visit to your veterinarian for an exam and repeat x-rays, and potentially surgery to remove the pins. I hope this helps :)

No, being in more pain now is not normal after that surgery. It may be damaging her joint or hitting nerves that is causing her more pain. I would have her rechecked to see if that can be cut a little shorter and to make sure it has not migrated out a little and slipped. Having the pin removed is an option and it varies upon the dog and healing as to if it is taken out. If it is completely healed and not bothering the dog, then they typically leave them in. If she is healed and doing well, then suddenly seems bothered, then the pin can be safely removed with out compromising the break

Poor Dakota. She has been through a lot for such a young girl. The plate is necessary to keep the bone stable while it heals. Once the bone has healed, the plate is no longer needed, but we often leave it in place as long as it isn't causing a problem to avoid a second surgery. The recovery after removing the plate and screws will depend on what her x-rays look like right now. Sometimes it is only a couple of weeks and sometimes it is 8-10 weeks. So, follow your vet's recommendation on that. Hopefully this will be Dakota's last surgery and she can get back to her normal self soon! Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Joy needs to go back to the vet ASAP. Depending on the type of surgical fix, the pin may need to be removed if it is backing out of the bone. Or it may need to have another surgery to repair the skin.

If it was his distal tibia that was fractured and the pins are near the growth plate, the pins can sometimes affect the way the bone grows in a young dog and lead to limb deformities with time. If there is concern for this on the x-ray it could be why your vet wants to remove the pins. Sometimes hardware can also break or become infected and require removal. Since your vet knows the details of the case you may want to bring up your concerns with them and they may be able to better explain the reasoning.

Hello, and thanks for your question about Furgle. If the fracture occurred 2 years ago, then your vet is right that he should do fine without the plate, since a fracture should completely heal within 2-3 months. If he doesn't seem painful, then I wouldn't be too worried. However, if you feel that there's definitely a change happening in the angle of his leg, then it's worth having your vet take another look. You're also welcome to post a picture and we can offer subjective input on the appearance of the photo. But, this doesn't sound likely to be related to his previous fracture. Hope this helps.