The Star: August 13, 2020

The Star Thursday August 13 2020
10
NEWS
McMaster & Heap
Veterinary practice
Macy’s BIG day at Massey Vet School
- PART ONE
I’m sure many of you have either met or read about
the newest member of the McMaster- Heap family
- Miss Macy, our scrumptious, beautiful glossy black
18 week old Labrador puppy. Just like half of CHCH,
we decided to get a puppy in lockdown (or rather
gentled pressured from our 3 sons who had all
converged on us begging for one). Lola is nearly 11
years old, so I felt it a
good age for her to
enjoy a playmate and
teach her prodigy “the
ways of the vet clinic”.
Macy has a very
sound pedigree,
with her dad a UK
champion and her
mum, coincidentally
called Lola, bred in
Christchurch. The
breeder made sure
the dam and sire
were hip and elbow
scored and their
results were excellent
(as were generations
further back). As a
conscientious breeder,
apart from selection
on temperament, you can’t do much more. When we
visited the litter they all seemed perfect!
Unfortunately for Macy (and me), she has ended
up with Elbow Dysplasia, affecting both forelegs
(Funny that I can’t remember when I last diagnosed a
puppy with this disease). Apparently it is reasonably
common in large breed puppies especially Labrador
retrievers, German Shepherds and Bernese Mountain
dogs. Most are not diagnosed as young as Macy - the
“upside” to having parents who are Veterinarians,
along with free toys, tasty foods and delicious treats
always on tap!!
At about 12 weeks of age I noticed a subtle shifting
foreleg lameness, worse on getting up from rest
and after boisterous short plays with Lola. She
was normal with leash walks but pulled away
when I went to palpate her elbows. The lameness
progressively became more pronounced so I asked
Richard Lucy to radiograph all her limbs. I prayed
she just had panosteitis - pain along the long bones
associated with rapid
growth, seen in fast
growing puppies.
The day of the surgery
at Massey University
Veterinary School
Macy and her big sister
Lola holidaying in
Northland
Macy’s X-rays ruled out
panosteitis but there
was some question mark
over joint pathology.
Radiography can’t detect
subtle changes in the
cartilage matrix or fissures
in the coronoid process
of the ulna. Macy then
underwent a CT scan
through Pacific Radiology
at Lincoln University
to get a clearer insight
into her joint health and
determine her cause of
lameness. The CT scan
was read by a Registered
Veterinary radiologist who
diagnosed bilateral elbow
dysplasia.
The elbow is a very complex joint, comprised of
3 bones that have to synergistically sit and move
together perfectly. There are 3 parts that make up
elbow dysplasia and Macy has 2 of them - OCD
of the medial humeral condyle and FCP (medial
fragmented coronoid process of the ulna). Not
great news for a 16 week old puppy. I did some fast
research on Elbow Dysplasia, watching webinars and
sourcing differing opinions from surgeons worldwide
on the best way to tackle this disease to help slow
the progression and stop the pain for Macy. I talked
to our surgeon, Helen Milner, and Andrew Worth (a
classmate of mine 30 years ago at Vet School), an
orthopaedic surgeon at Massey University.
Open 7 days
Cnr Hoon Hay & Coppell place
phone 338 2534, Fax 339 8624
e. mcmasterandheap@yahoo.co.nz
www.mcmasterheap.co.nz
The best outcome for Macy was for her to undergo
arthroscopy (keyhole surgery) on both elbows at
Massey University Veterinary Hospital, to remove
the coronoid process if it was seen to be fractured
or fissured and check her cartilage and remove
any OCD lesion (folding and tearing of the articular
cartilage due to collapse of the subchondral bone).
Andrew said he would squeeze Macy in on Monday
13th July (my birthday!!! So had to be great luck) so
Steve and I, with Macy and Lola in tow, made a road
trip to Palmerston North ASAP. The things you do for
your pets. Helen could also have operated on Macy’s
elbows via arthrotomy ( which is incising her elbow
joints to remove cartilage and bone fragments). We
decided for a puppy so young, keyhole surgery was
going to be minimally invasive therefore her recovery
time faster and with magnification into the elbow
joint, you can appreciate better the health of the
cartilage and degree of damage.
Macy was a “superstar” on surgery day. She was
operated on at 3pm and home with us at 6.30pm.
She has really never looked back and was walking
better almost immediately. Andrew thought
her pain was mainly due to the bilateral OCD
lesions (loose flaps of cartilage that he incised and
smoothed out, preparing the way for fibrocartilage
to be laid down).
Recovering
in the Bay of
Islands
Macy undergoing CT
The hardest part now is keeping her out of mischief.
She just wants to run like a rabbit and for 1 month
post operatively she is limited to 5-10 minutes on a
leash daily and then crated or house rested. She’s
nearly done her month confinement and will be able
to enjoy longer walks, although no off-leash running
for a while. My job now is to keep her lean, feed her
joint supplements including Omega oils and 4 cyte,
restrict running, jumping down and vigorous play
and somewhere in there start training her to be as
well behaved as Lola.
So far so good. I’ll keep you posted on her recovery.
Dr Michele McMaster
McMaster & Heap
CHANGES LOOM: The city council could change the speed limit on the
section of Riccarton Rd in front of the Westfield shopping complex to
30km/h.
PHOTO: GEOFF SLOAN
Fears Riccarton Rd
speed limit change
could hurt businesses
• By Louis Day
THERE ARE fears a
proposed speed limit
overhaul for Riccarton Rd
could deter shoppers from
the area and be detrimental
to businesses.
The various speed limit
changes the city council
is planning to introduce
into the suburb include
the section of Riccarton
Rd between Matipo St and
Straven Rd, which is home
to Westfield Riccarton,
being converted from a
50km/h zone to a 30km/h
zone.
City councillors are set
to make a decision on the
matter at their meeting
today.
Westfield Riccarton and
Pak’N Save management
alongside McDonald’s franchise
owners are concerned
the reduced speed limit on
Riccarton Rd could deter
Authorised by Timothy Grigg, 160 Willis Street, Wellington.
shoppers from coming into
the area.
They also believe the
change would lead to
people thinking it is too
much of a “hassle” to get to
these businesses, altering
their shopping behaviours
and taking their money
elsewhere.
Environment Canterbury
thinks the plan could slow
down buses and has suggested
making the whole
area 40km/h as opposed to
30km/h.
The city council is proposing
the various speed
limit changes after a safety
audit found 30km/h to be
a more appropriate speed
limit for the road after undergoing
extensive works
which resulted in altered
road layout.
It said the decreased
speed limit would result
in a reduced 10 per cent
probability of a fatal or
serious injury between
a car and pedestrian or
cyclist.
Alongside the proposed
changes to this section
of Riccarton Rd, the city
council is also looking
to place a 30km/h speed
limit in the retail areas of
Rotherham and Division
Sts.
The entire lengths of
Kauri St, Rata St, Rimu St
and Titoki St could also be
converted to 30km/h zones
after previously having
50km/h speed limits.
A total of 119 organisations
and individuals made
submissions on the
proposal, with about twothirds
being in support of
the plan.
Key reasons for support
were for the safety of
all road users including
cyclists and pedestrians not
just cars and other motor
vehicles.
MEETINGS CANCELLED
As per COVID-19 Alert Level Two
guidelines all street corner meetings
with Megan Woods MP have been
cancelled until further notice.
If you would like to get in touch with Megan please call
03 338 6347 or email megan.woods@wigram.org.nz