Fusion podoplasty provides favorable long-term outcomes in dogs with interdigital follicular cysts unresponsive to medical therapy: a retrospective study of 16 cases.

Total fusion podoplasty with Penrose drain placement offers the best outcomes for medically refractory interdigital follicular cysts.

This retrospective observational study evaluated clinical outcomes and postoperative complications of fusion podoplasty in dogs with chronic interdigital follicular cysts (CIFCs) refractory to multimodal medical management. Medical records from two referral hospitals spanning 2005 to 2025 were reviewed, yielding 11 dogs that met inclusion criteria (CIFCs secondary to mechanical friction or trauma, unresponsive to medical therapy). A total of 16 paws were treated: 9 underwent total fusion podoplasty (TFP) and 7 underwent partial fusion podoplasty (PFP). Median follow-up was 16 months. All treated paws achieved complete healing, with a median healing time of 28 days. Twenty postoperative complications were recorded across 9 dogs, comprising 18 minor and 2 major events; partial incisional dehiscence was the most frequent complication (7/20). Notably, no wound complications occurred in the 5 TFP cases where a Penrose drain was placed intraoperatively, suggesting passive drainage significantly reduces dehiscence risk. Long-term outcomes were classified as excellent in 8 dogs, acceptable in 1, and poor in 2. TFP was associated with fewer postoperative complications compared to PFP. The study concludes that fusion podoplasty is a viable salvage surgical option for dogs with medically refractory CIFCs, offering satisfactory long-term outcomes in the majority of cases. The combination of TFP with passive Penrose drainage appears particularly advantageous in minimizing postoperative wound complications and may represent an optimal surgical approach for this challenging condition.

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