April 2002 Pet of the Month
Toby Blair  "Toby" Blair a 12 year old male Australian
Shepherd was seen after being kicked in the head by a horse several days prior. He had been given emergency treatment for head trauma and swelling at another veterinary hospital. After the swelling
subsided the owner noticed that there was some displacement of the lower jaw, and he had difficulty eating.
Examination under anesthesia with
radiographs (X-Rays) revealed a compound fracture of the right mandible which had displaced through the floor of the mouth and had become infected.  Surgical repair was elected.
However, with the amount of bone injection and Toby's age, only a guarded prognosis was given for recovery. The jaw bone was approached surgically through a skin incision under his
jaw. The wound was flushed and debrided. Three surgical wires were placed through the jaw bone, and two of these were anchored to teeth to further stabilize the fracture sites. Toby was
placed on Clindamycin an antibiotic which penetrates bone for the infection. He was given Rimadyl for inflammation and pain as well as placing Fentanyl patches on his skin to give long term narcotic pain
relief. The day after surgery Toby was eating canned food well and made a remarkable recovery.
Two months post-op he showed no signs of infection, the wire implants were stable, and except where a bone fragment was missing, the jaw noted to be healing well on radiographs.
Toby was certainly fortunate to have been blessed with great healing properties and an owner willing to pursue appropriate veterinary care. He will hopefully learn to stay
further away from his equine friends, or learn to duck.
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