Plate removal from broken front leg

Hi, I'm new to this forum, hello all! I've searched looking for this topic but can't find anything, so started a new thread. We got a 7 mo. chi mix end of april from an adoption centre at a vet university, recovering from surgery for a broken radius and ulna. A cast had been tried first but not successful. They told us that he would need surgery after a year to remove the plate and they would cover the cost. Since then we've been back 3x for follow-up xrays. The first time we spoke to the resident surgeon who said he'd need to be operated on before winter and it would probably take 3 surgeries to remove 7 screws and the plate! The 2nd visit we were told not necessarily so, and this last visit we were told it looks like it's healed so well that unless there's a problem, it's not going to come out. I would like to know how often a plate is left in an animal after a fracture.
Thanks.

In people.. it's not removed unless there is a problem.. and it begins to hurt, cause some sort of discomfort. I don't see why it would be different for an animal. My mom just had her last appt for a broken ankle today, and the surgeon won't remove her plate or screws unless something bad happens. There is no need to. Re-healing the wound would be another long painful process that is unneeded.