First Aid for Dogs with Broken Bones

Fractures or broken bones can result from a car accident, falling from great heights, or many other types of accidents. In dogs, the femur, pelvis, jaw, skull, and spine are the most commonly broken bones.

Symptoms and Types

There are several signs of a broken bone:

• Severe pain
• Swelling
• Inability to bear weight on the bone broken
• Open wound with bone sticking out
• Deformity of the bone structure
• Shortening of the leg

Apart from the break or fracture, the dog may also experience shock, damage to its internal organs, and loss of blood.

There are various types of fractures: 

• The open fracture is one where the bone is exposed. It can result in bone infection due to bacteria and dirt entering the wound
• The closed fracture does not have exposed broken bone
• The compound fracture has more than one broken bone or a bone broken in more than one place

Causes

Dogs, as curious creatures, can get themselves into precarious situations at times. You can prevent a large amount of in-home injuries by making sure your home is as accident-proof as possible. However, dogs can also fracture bones outdoors by getting into automobile accidents, fights or by falling from great heights. Old age and diseases that make bones brittle are other causes for fractures.

Diagnosis

After observing the clinical symptoms, your veterinarian will confirm the diagnosis by taking X-rays of the affected area.

Treatment

To ensure that you are not bitten by your wounded dog while setting the broken bone(s), you will need to muzzle your dog. A strip of fabric will serve the purpose if a proper muzzle is not available.

It is recommended to use several sterile gauze pads as a dressing for an open wound. You can also dress the wound with a clean cloth or towel, wrapping them loosely. If there is prolonged bleeding, carefully apply pressure to the wounded area until the bleeding has slowed.

Splinting the broken bone before your dog is taken to the veterinary hospital will relieve pain and avoid tissue damage and shock. Before deciding to splint the fracture, a number of factors need to be considered, namely, the severity and position of the wound, the existence of other injuries, and the material required for splinting. Be careful when splinting; when done incorrectly, a bad splint can cause even more damage.

When splinting the broken bone make sure it is done in the same position the injured dog was found in because any further movement could cause more damage. Do not try to straighten a leg bent by the broken bone, splint it as it was found.

An effective splint is achieved by placing the splint across the joints above and below the broken bone. In case the fracture is below the elbow or knee, a rolled up magazine or newspaper, or a piece of thick cardboard, will do as a splint. Ensure that the splint is stretched from the toes to a point above the elbow or the knee; it can be wrapped using a roll of gauze, soft rope, or even a necktie.

For any broken bones below the knee, casts or splints are used for immobilization. For broken bones above the knee or elbow, pins and metal plates are generally required.

In the case of broken bone ends which are apart or at angles, your veterinarian will use general anesthesia and then realign the bones by pulling the leg. This overcomes the muscular forces that are causing the displacement.

In case your dog has had a shock, it needs to be moved from one place to another in the same lying down so that no further strain is caused.

Head and spine fractures need to be handled with care and as little movement as possible. Call your veterinarian for guidance in moving your dog and transporting it to the veterinary clinic for proper medical aid.

Joint fractures require surgery. In case of jaw fractures the teeth are wired and maintained in place until the fracture is actually healed.

Living and Management

Make sure that your dog does not bite or chew on the bandages or other medical devices used to immobilize the fracture. If necessary, use an Elizabethan collar to prevent your dog from reaching the injured area. Also, when bathing your dog, wrap the affected area with a plastic bag so that it does not get wet.

Prevention

Although fractures caused by accidents cannot be prevented, those that result due to bone disease can be. For example, fractures occurring because of a calcium deficiency can be prevented by giving your dog vitamin and mineral supplements. Meanwhile, secondary bone infections which occur due to complicated cases of fractures can be avoided, to a great extent, by seeking immediate veterinary help.