Clinical Case of Brauny, a Yorkshire Terrier

Clinical Case of Brauny, a Yorkshire Terrier.

An 8-year-old Yorkshire Terrier weighing 2.3 kg, named Brauny, underwent computed tomography following an orthopedic examination, which revealed the following findings:

• A varus deformity of the distal femur, with a shallow patellar groove resulting from patellar maltracking caused by the varus deformity resulting in grade IV patellar luxation
• Rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament, clinically manifested as grade V lameness

Grade V lameness leads to a near-complete loss of limb function, severe pain, progressive muscle atrophy, and a marked deterioration in the animal’s quality of life.

Additionally, abdominal ultrasonography revealed the presence of sediment in the urinary bladder, as well as a large amount of biliary sludge within the gallbladder. For this reason, a 2-month course of medical treatment was prescribed. Following clinical improvement and stabilization of the condition, surgical intervention was scheduled.

Prior to surgery, in addition to computed tomography, Brauny underwent a comprehensive pre-anesthetic evaluation, including a complete blood count (with morphology), serum biochemistry and electrolyte analysis, and echocardiographic examination. The results of these assessments enabled anesthesiologist Natia Robakidze to develop an individualized and safe anesthetic protocol tailored to the patient.

The miniature-breed patient underwent complex surgical procedures:

• To address the complex deformity and grade IV patellar luxation, CT-based, patient-specific guides and implants were designed and manufactured to perform distal femoral osteotomy (DFO) and patellar groove replacement (PGR)
• The cranial cruciate ligament rupture was treated using a standard tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO)

In miniature-breed patients, such combined orthopedic procedures present significant technical challenges due to the small size of the bones, the need for precise implant selection, and the requirement for millimeter-level accuracy during surgical manipulation, all of which demand a high level of surgical expertise and advanced planning.

The surgeries were planned and performed by Lasha-Giorgi Japaridze, Head Veterinarian at Veterinarium Clinic. Anesthesia was managed by Natia Robakidze, with Barbare Kurtsikidze assisting the surgeon.