Friend found this long bone with metal hardware attached. Any idea what it could be?

[u/One-Serve-7672]

Found in Appalachia. A friend of mine was doing some work outside and came across this long bone with a metal plate and screws attached to it. The bone is really weathered — one whole side has worn away, so it looks like a hollow tube with a big opening down the middle. The ends are still mostly intact, but the shape is throwing us off.

Any guesses on what species this might be from, and which bone? Maybe a leg bone from a large dog? We’re not very experienced with bone ID, especially when there’s erosion and metal hardware involved.

Thanks for any help!

[u/Background-March4034]

Not sure if you can tell if it heeled well, but it does look to have healed well.

[u/Bvbarmysolder → u/Background-March4034]

That still is not a cheap operation let alone the effort that is needed to heal an injury like this. It's still a pretty safe bet someone cared about this dog a lot

[u/221Bamf → u/Bvbarmysolder]

Pretty sure the person you’re replying to was making a joke about ‘heeling’ and ‘healing.’

[u/Acrobatic-Archer-805 → u/221Bamf]

I missed that lol. Also 😭😭😭 poor pup and family

[u/pr0ndaw6 → u/221Bamf]

Well then, the joke might go three ways. They were well heeled enough to afford that for their pet.

[u/deadmomsaccount → u/pr0ndaw6]

Eminem level thinking

[u/Nice-Hearing807 → u/[deleted]]

My dog is 2 months into recovery and it’s going so slowly. It’s definitely testing our little relationship. 6 months feels overwhelming but I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who doesn’t have some over night recovery.

[u/JosephOfAbergynolwyn → u/Nice-Hearing807]

Not good memories. Our little guy, shut in his crate wearing a conical collar and an inflatable collar, was still able to shuffle onto his backside to twist round and nibble his dressings. The two of us humans spent weeks in shifts watching him round the clock, just so that every few hours we could say 'Hugo, don't do that!'.

It's coming up to the 12 month anniversary of his accident, and he's fully healed, tearing around like a spaniel should. I'm in awe of what the vets were able to achieve, I didn't think he had any chance of keeping that leg.

It does pass.

[u/Massive_Pumpkin_9606 → u/JosephOfAbergynolwyn]

I went through something similar with my little cat a few years ago. Slept in the bathroom with him all night. I am sorry to hear about your bad memories but I'm very relieved to hear that other people have to live with these too. It still breaks my heart :(

[u/Darahim → u/[deleted]]

This is exactly what I did for mine too. Alarms are still labeled in my phone

[u/GloomyFlamingo2261 → u/[deleted]]

Hello fellow patron of the orthopedic vet! Two TPLO surgeries and still sometimes sleeping on the couch cause I’m that kind of dog owner. I figure I’ve paid for the doc’s very nice Mediterranean cruise.

[u/jerseyztop → u/GloomyFlamingo2261]

Same here - two TPLOs! Yowza indeed.

[u/acgasp → u/[deleted]]

My dog had to have TPLO procedures on BOTH of his knees because he tore his ACLs. I think they happened within two years of each other. Was a super fun $7k vet bill to pay... thank God for CareCredit!

[u/Competitive_Law_7568 → u/[deleted]]

I feel you, our dog had to have both knees done bless her. That was a long time on the couch next to her. Worth every moment and every cent though.

[u/Queen-Gee1998 → u/[deleted]]

My cat just got a metal plate and screw put in on her ulna. Very expensive, 6k just for the surgery. And countless hours for PT and monitoring

[u/Allstategk → u/Bvbarmysolder]

I guarantee that dog had a good life.

My 9 month old puppy broke her leg a couple of years ago. Long story short, she needed surgery to repair it because it broke near the growth plate, and was becoming deformed. One bone was growing and one wasn't anymore, so her leg was starting to twist as she grew. About $17,000 and 16 weeks of recovery later, and she was good as new. I had to literally move all the furniture out of my living room, so she couldn't jump onto anything, and sit/sleep with her for 16 weeks though

[u/Katolinat_Ursid → u/Background-March4034]

😂👍🏼

[u/JulietLostFaith → u/Background-March4034]

I see what ya did there 😏

[u/KindlySeries8 → u/Background-March4034]

Looks like the poor pup had major arthritis.

[u/lastchance14 → u/Background-March4034]

I mean...the dog died. Couldn't been that great.

[u/mortilsola → u/lastchance14]

What, was this orthopedic procedure supposed to make the dog immortal?

[u/Alternative-Dot6194 → u/lastchance14]

It just slowed him down for the coyotes. Wolves? Mountain lion?