Broken bones are painful injuries that your pets might face and immediately require veterinary care. Your pets can have broken bones due to accidents, falls, and even during play. Sometimes recognition of the signs of fractures and learning emergency measures for its care will be of immense value as a pet owner until the veterinary treatment is available.
Signs of Broken bones
Common signs of fractures include limping, swelling, or visible protrusion of bone, and an inability to weight-support a limb. If your pet shows any of these signs following an incident, it’s best not to try to inspect the injury yourself, as this can further injure your pet and even worsen a fracture. Instead, get your pet to the vet as carefully as possible.
Before moving your pet, there are a few things you can do to help minimize pain and further injury. Some support can be given to a painful limb by gently wrapping it in a soft cloth or bandage. Avoid trying to splint the bone or set the bone because improper manipulation can cause more harm. Smaller pets can be placed in a safe carrier with soft padding inside to prevent movement and keep the animal as comfortable as possible during transport.
Veterinary emergency clinic help
The veterinarian at the emergency clinic will take a physical examination and X-rays of the injury to determine the extent of the fracture. Treatment options are governed by the location of the break and the extent of its complication. The simple breaks may need only casts or splints, but complicated breaks usually require surgery to set it with pins and plates. Pain management, restriction of movement, and close monitoring constitute the aftercare for a broken bone.
Treating a fractured bone in a timely manner alleviates your pet’s pain while facilitating faster and more efficient recovery to get your pet back to his active self soon.
