Effect of Rehabilitation in a Dog with Delayed Recovery following TPLO: A Case Report

Abstract

Simple Summary Most of the problems that appear after tibial plateau leveling osteotomy surgery are lameness. The dog exhibited mild lameness due to pain and inflammation, impeding full recovery. The purpose of this study is to collect objective data using walking analysis and digital thermal imaging to aid recovery from potential pain, inflammation, and lameness resulting from delayed rehabilitation after tibial plateau leveling osteotomy. The dog had not experienced rehabilitation until 42 h post-surgery. Gait analysis revealed insufficient weight support and the digital thermal imaging confirmed an increase in relative body heat within the medial stifle joint. After that, cold treatment, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, and treadmill exercise were applied to promote recovery. Veterinary rehabilitation is often neglected post-surgery, despite its ability to enhance a dog's quality of life.Abstract A 7-year-old neutered Maltese dog weighing 5.1 kg was presented, with a tibial plateau-leveling osteotomy (TPLO) on the right hindlimb 42 days prior. The patient's right hind limb showed lameness, intermittent limping, and atrophy, and the patient had not experienced rehabilitation since TPLO surgery. The patient showed a pain reaction at the end of the stifle extension, and an increased body temperature was identified on the medial side of the right hindlimb when compared with the left hindlimb using a digital thermal imaging device. In addition, a type of lameness, only partial weight bearing in the right hindlimb, was also identified during the gait analysis. The pain was relieved by applying a cold pack and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, and the patient's weak muscles were strengthened through treadmill exercises. In this study, physical therapy and rehabilitation exercises controlled pain and induced rapid recovery, indicating that rehabilitative intervention is required after TPLO surgery.