Dog that received total knee surgery at UF featured in calendar
The first recipient of a total knee replacement surgery at UF, a yellow Labrador retriever named Mica, will grace the month of September pages in a new 2014 calendar produced by the company that supplied the animal’s surgical implant.
Mica — officially Willowbank Mighty Mica — recuperated successfully from the procedure, which was performed on her left knee in February, 2012 by Dr. Stanley Kim, a clinical assistant professor of small animal surgery, and Dr. Antonio Pozzi, an associate professor of small animal surgery. A year later, she received her Master Hunter title, at the age of 10.
Mica is owned by Art and Kathie Hornsby of Archer, who in addition to being avid animal lovers and breeders of Labradors are longtime supporters of the college and members of the Dean’s Circle of Excellence at the college.
“BioMedtrix has supplied UF with orthopedic implants, primarily for small animal hip replacement surgeries, since 1993,” said Betsy Sives, marketing manager for Biomedtrix, the company that manufactured the device used in Mica’s surgery.
“We began producing calendars featuring pets with our products several years ago,” Sives said. “Surgeons that use BioMedtrix products often contact us with a case they feel is interesting or unique. Each surgeon then completes a pet profile for their patient, and often provides the pet owner’s contact details after receiving consent. At that point I work directly with the pet owner to collect photos for the calendar. A few months later, each pet profile is added to our website.”
Mica holds obedience titles and is trained in tracking and agility. She had a complete cranial cruciate ligament tear, and full thickness cartilage loss in the medial stifle compartment, according to information in the calendar submitted by Kim.
Kathie Hornsby brought Mica back to UF in September for a recheck, which she passed with flying colors.