Bacterial infective arthritis following a penetrating stick injury of the stifle joint in a dog

An eight-year old, Rottweiler was presented with a chronic non-weight bearing right pelvic limb -lameness and a discharging sinus at the right stifle joint. Fifteen weeks previously a diagnosis of bacterial infective arthritis had been made, presumed attributable to haematogenous spread. Failure to respond to appropriate surgical and medical management resulted in severe joint dysfunction. The poor prognosis for restoration of limb function resulted in limb amputation. Subsequent exploration of the sinus tract and the stifle joint revealed a stick within the craniolateral aspect of the joint. This penetrating stick injury had been responsible for the persistent bacterial infective arthritis.