Saluki Puppy to Receive Cutting-Edge Prosthetic Leg

The Associated Press reported this month that a one year old Saluki canine will be receiving a cutting-edge prosthetic leg – a technology which, if successful, could be transferred to human patients. The puppy, now called Sally the Saluki, was found wandering the Kuwaiti desert with part of her left hind leg severed. It is not clear how the injury occurred.

Sally was slated to have the remainder of her leg amputated by a local veterinarian in Kuwait. Before committing to this drastic measure, a call was made to Colorado State University, by the volunteer who found her, to see if it was indeed the best course of action. Because Sally was young and in good health, CSU suggested she would be a good candidate for a new ‘ingrowth’ procedure. The Saluki puppy was subsequently flown to Colorado where she was evaluated by the veterinarians of the CSU Animal Hospital.

While most people with amputated limbs have done well with ‘strapped-on’ prosthetic limbs, dogs have a harder time adjusting to the altered mobility. The proposed surgery for Sally would entail a metallic implant being inserted into the remaining left hind leg bone and attaching a prosthetic limb to the implant. The hope of the CSU veterinary team is that the bone would grow around the implant, allowing for a more natural and seamless movement of the limb.

At Chicken Soup for the Pet Lovers Soul, we encourage such continued research for the betterment of owners and pets alike. Many cutting-edge technologies and procedures are first assessed on pets and provide an abundance of knowledge and discovery. Animals and humans alike benefit from these many procedures, including artificial hips, cataract surgeries and radiation treatments for cancer.