The mere thought of a broken bone gives us nightmares. Imagine, the state of our canine friends. What if your dog suffers a broken bone. These creatures lack speech. The dog may bark out of pain, and you may ignore thinking it’s a part of your dog’s daily session, unless you notice that your dog is laming out of pain. Dogs break their legs for many reasons. The most common reasons are accidents in the traffic, or in the dog park. The bone may be not broken, and it's just a dislocation.
Orthopedic Science classifies the condition as open and closed fractures. An open fracture will happen when the skin of the affected area is exposed, while the bone is fractured. While in closed fractures the area remains unexposed. There are also specific conditions where the fracture of the bone is not complete. This kind of fractures a are known as a hairline fracture. A dog affected with a hairline fracture may or may not exhibit the typical symptoms just like open and closed fractures.
Types of Fractures
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Elbow fractures
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Radius ulna fractures
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Toe fractures
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Hip fractures
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Tibial chest fractures
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Growth plate fractures
Things to watch for
A broken bone which protrudes out of the dog’ skin is a sure indicator that something is wrong with the dog’s internal health. Always take notice of any unnatural behavior from the dog’s side, which can be a possible indicator of either fracture or dislocation. Frequent whining and limping are sure signs of fractures. Note that any injury related tendons, muscles, ligaments can catalyze fractures.
The Main Cause
Bone fractures, in most of the cases, occur due to a sudden jerk, well, let's say a sudden jolt to the body. The sudden force can originate from anywhere, falling from a height, or a sudden crash from an object. These things mostly occur in the older dogs or dogs who have a natural tendency to get excited very quickly.
First Aid
The main goals are to reduce the pain. Decrease the risk of additional damage. Whatever the case is, there are three rules of treatment.
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Re-setting the fracture is a complete no-no
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Usage of antibiotics and ointments on open fractures is prohibited
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Most importantly, take your dog and run to a vet. Stop! we mean get a car and immediately visit a vet
The Care of the Vet
The vet will check the area, and work accordingly. The vet may prescribe some form of medications for the dog. Medications will mainly focus on eradicating the pain away from the dog. A general anesthetic will reset and will stabilize the bone. Dislocation will also need the use of anesthetics for the dog. Don’t show your master skills and try to reset the bone at home.
Consider Exercising the Dog to avoid the Condition
Start by exercising the young pups on a regular interval. Exercising the dog will not only keep the dog physically fit but also mentally keep the dog recharged. Consult a vet to discuss about the exercises.
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