We heard today about a neighbour's young dog ( he is about 3) who has fractured his humerus whilst playing ball, evidently it has split lengthwise.  The bone will have to be plated and pinned as will his other leg to avoid similar damage.  They are warning other cocker owners in the village of this condition, it is difficult to confirm on standard x-ray so  CT scanning is the preferred technique.  According to a report from our local specialist vets it  predominantly affects male cocker, english springer and brittany spaniels. Symptoms can be forelimb lameness and elbow pain, lameness may be intermittent and can range from mild to severe. Not sure if it is a hereditory condition but will endeavour to find out more, unless that is if anyone else is familiar with problem.

Yup! sadly one of my cockers had this happened to both front legs. He was lame for around a month before the first one went. It was plated and pinned in the February and made quite a good recovery. ten months later he went lame in the other leg and immediately I took him to the vet. They decided he was compensating for the other and were planning to xray him two days later. However it snapped before we went. He was four when it happened. I had to have him put to sleep last year at the age of nine as he was in a lot of pain with arthritis. I have heard of others that this has happened to.