What is a humeral intracondylar fissure (HIF)?

A humeral intracondylar fissure (HIF) is a crack or stress fracture in the humeral condyle, which is the part of the humerus that forms the upper joint surface of the elbow. HIF is commonest in adult spaniels, especially springer spaniels, but it can also occur in other breeds.
The characteristic feature is intermittent limping. Affected dogs often switch between no lameness and severe lameness.
There are two reasons why surgery is justifiable. Reason one is that the alternative is often lifetime exercise restriction, which is very difficult for an active spaniel. Reason two is that some fissures propagate into devastating articular fractures, and these require a significantly more complex operation than humeral fissure surgery.
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