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Sources:
Dr. James Roush, Dr. David Anderson, 785-532-4890
Photos and images of the X-rays available. Contact: 785-532-6415,
media@k-state.edu News
release prepared by: Patrice Scott, 785-532-4046, pscott@vet.k-state.edu
Friday,
February 23, 2007
K-STATE
SURGEONS PERFORM WORLD'S FIRST HIP REPLACEMENT ON ALPACA
MANHATTAN
-- Surgeons at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at Kansas
State University made history when they successfully completed the
world's first total hip replacement on an alpaca earlier this month.
No
one could predict the fate of the 3-year-old Suri alpaca named Shiloh
when she arrived at the teaching hospital in Manhattan, Kan., on
Feb. 12. However, less than two weeks after her ground-breaking
surgery, the alpaca would be on her way home.
Dr.
James Roush, professor and head of small animal surgery, performed
the operation and was assisted by Dr. David Anderson, professor
and head of agricultural practices.
"My
expertise is in the orthopedic procedure while Dr. Anderson's expertise
is with the species," Roush said. "We pooled our experience
in the surgery room, and this is the result."
Radiographs
taken upon Shiloh's hospital admittance revealed that she suffered
from coxofemoral luxation, a dislocated hip. Roush and Anderson
agreed that she was a good candidate for surgery because her condition
had not reached an advanced stage of degeneration.
"When
the tissue around the hip breaks down, it is no longer able to hold
the joint in place," Anderson said. "Fortunately, Shiloh's
owner took quick action when she experienced problems and accepted
that this was her only option."
Shiloh's
owner, Joyce Johnson, noticed Shiloh standing awkwardly near their
barn in Defiance, Mo., 15 miles west of St. Louis. The next day
when weighing Shiloh's baby (called a cria) his weight gain had
stalled. Knowing that a nursing cria's health is directly tied to
its mother, Johnson knew Shiloh's problem was serious.
"I
immediately took her to our veterinarian and they took radiographs,"
Johnson said. "When we discovered the severity of her condition,
I knew that Dr. Anderson was at K-State and that's where we were
going."
Roush,
who performs about 20 hip replacements on dogs each year, compared
the size of an alpaca to a large breed dog. He noted that while
the implant used would be the same, the procedure would require
significant modifications. The catch, he said, was to select the
correct size of implant and adjust its placement to accommodate
the alpaca's curved femur.
Roush
said Shiloh's case involved a list of unknowns because no veterinary
medical literature existed about this procedure on an alpaca. Further
complicating the case was the fact that Shiloh was three months
pregnant.
"We
constantly monitored blood flow to the uterus during surgery to
minimize risk to the baby," Anderson said.
The
160-pound alpaca was wheeled into a surgical suite with a team of
10 medical specialists and professionals. At 8:50 a.m. Feb. 14,
Roush started the nearly two-hour procedure. It went flawlessly
but some very real post-operative challenges awaited the animal.
Johnson
had returned to her Missouri farm to continue caring for her 50-plus
alpaca herd where she received multiple calls from Anderson informing
her of Shiloh's progress. "I was as happy as I could be when
Dr. Anderson called and said the surgery went as well as it could,"
Johnson said. "I wanted to give Shiloh the chance to have a
quality, pain-free life. These guys (alpacas) are all a part of
my family, and I felt like I owed it to her to try."
Highly
social animals, Johnson thought it would reduce Shiloh's stress
to have companions with her at the hospital. So when Shiloh returned
to her stall to recover from surgery, she was welcomed by her 4-month-old
cria and an alpaca companion.
The
surgeons expected Shiloh to make her first attempt at standing at
about 3 p.m., which was precisely when she made her attempt. With
her medical team intently overseeing her movements, Shiloh stood
and bore weight on her leg. Moments later, her cria began to nurse.
"We
were very pleased but remained cautiously optimistic because she
still was at risk of infection and the newly implanted hip could
luxate," Roush said.
On
Feb. 20, six days post-op, a second set of radiographs was taken
to assure that the hip remained in place. "The implants remained
in identical position and showed no loosening," Roush said.
"In addition, Shiloh's baby is doing well."
Anderson
said the alpaca will return to her Missouri farm under the care
of her local veterinarian. The surgeons will continue to monitor
her case and evaluate her progress by communicating with Shiloh's
owner and her veterinarian.
Alpacas
are members of the camelid family that originated in South America
thousands of years ago and arrived on farms in this country in the
1980s. Today there are approximately 6,000 alpaca farms across the
United States. The animals' dense, soft fiber is used for clothing.
For
more information about the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital
at Kansas State University, please visit http://www.vet.k-state.edu/depts/VMTH/
For more information about alpacas, please visit http://www.alpacainfo.com
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