LUTHER, Okla. (KFOR) — An adorable Coonhound puppy who was born with upside-down paws is finally home after undergoing surgeries to correct his birth defect.
Milo was just 5-weeks-old when he was surrendered to the animal rescue organization, Oliver and Friends Farm Sanctuary. Veterinarians knew something had to be done when they noticed that Milo’s front paws were turned upside down.
“We evaluated Milo with our state-of-the-art CT scanner and identified his problem to be congenital dislocation of both elbows,” said Dr. Erik Clary, associate professor of small animal surgery. “With both elbows out of joint, Milo was unable to walk. Try as he may, the best he could do was an inefficient and seemingly uncomfortable ‘army crawl.’”
Clary said Milo's condition is very rare and very debilitating.
Milo underwent corrective surgery last month at Oklahoma State University's Veterinary Medical Hospital. He was then put in a front body splint to prevent him from using his front legs.
Since then, Milo has been recovering, splints removed and all, and on February 1, he finally went home to Oliver and Friends Farm Sanctuary where he will continue to recover.
He will undergo rehabilitation therapy aimed to improve joint function, strengthening his limb muscles and teaching him how to walk.
“Due to Milo’s congenital deformity, he has never ambulated correctly,” said Dr. Cara Blake, DACVS-SA, CCRT. “Because of his dysfunctional front limbs, he needed to modify both his front and back limb positioning to allow him to propel himself. This has resulted in abnormal body posture, decreased flexibility, significant muscle atrophy and weakness. He will need to be retrained on how to lie down, sit, and walk in a ‘correct’ fashion. Therapy will need to include improving muscle flexibility, reinforcing correct limb placement and strengthening the muscles.”
Oliver and Friends Farm Sanctuary says they're happy to have Milo back home and expect him to exceed expectations.
If you'd like to donate to help with Milo's treatment costs, click here.
