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What's dog leg plate removal recovery like? Will her leg be okay?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 1 year and 5 months old | 55 lbs

So my dog broke her leg back in February and needed surgery to put a plate and screws in. She ended up breaking 3 of the screws and when we took her to the vet the other day they said we should get the plate and remaining screws removed because it can cause a lot of problems later on. So I'm wondering roughly how long would recovery time be and what can I expect later on in her life? Will her bad leg be okay without the plate supporting It?

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

Published on December 4th, 2017

Poor Dakota. She has been through a lot for such a young girl. The plate is necessary to keep the bone stable while it heals. Once the bone has healed, the plate is no longer needed, but we often leave it in place as long as it isn't causing a problem to avoid a second surgery. The recovery after removing the plate and screws will depend on what her x-rays look like right now. Sometimes it is only a couple of weeks and sometimes it is 8-10 weeks. So, follow your vet's recommendation on that. Hopefully this will be Dakota's last surgery and she can get back to her normal self soon! Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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