Domestic Pets

Injury Guide

FRACTURES DISLOCATIONS & SPRAINS

CAUSES

COLLISION WITH MOTOR VEHICLES: This is the most common cause

FALLS FROM HIGH: Frequent accidents with cats & puppies

RUNNING INTO OBJECTS OR AWKWARD MOVEMENTS: During play,running or in scuffles

KICKS OR OTHER BLOWS

ASSESMENT

FRACTURES: A fracture means that the bone is broken.The many ways in which this may occur can be roughly categorized

COMPLETE FRACTURE: The bone is severed into at least two parts

MULTIPLE FRACTURE: The bone is broken in several places and into pieces of different sizes. In general this produces severe injuries.It is the worst kind of bone fracture to repair

PARTIAL FRACTURE: The bone is cracked but not completely broken remaining in one piece.In puppies & kittens,whose bones are more elastic,because they are not yet fully calcified,fractures can be of a special type called 'greenstick' fractures, so-called because they resemble a young twig splitting when it is bent

DISLOCATION: Here the end of the two bones which form a joint are separated,following servere damage to the ligaments that normally hold them together

SPRAINS: This constitute rather less serious injuries in which the ligaments of a joint are stretched or torn though without being completely severed so that the joint remains intact.To distinguish between the lessions is often difficult for a pet owner.For an accurate assessment of the severity and type of lesion,you should therefore have the animal examined by a vet as soon as possible

Nevertheless, one should have some idea of how to recognize a bone or joint injury and to establish how serious it is.

LAMENESS: The cause of lameness is the pain that moving or carrying the weight produces at the point of injury.It may be hardly noticeable and merely consist of a restricted and hesitant movement of the limb, or the limb may be virtually unused and help up most of the time instead of being placed on the ground.You will find that the animal reamin in its normal standing position

Lameness in itself does not tell you what is wrong, but reveals the presence of damage that is causing the pain

If the lameness is slight, you should wait and see if some hours after the accident matters improve, if so - there may have been severe pain initially which disappears soon afterwards,showing that the damage was very slight

If however, you find the animal continues to be lame,even slightly - then you should consult a vet about the problem

SWELLING OF A LIMB AND DEFORMITY: To assess whether the limb is at all swollen - compare it with the opposite, normal one

A marked deformation of a joint, indicates a dislocation

TWISTING OF A LIMB: If there has been a fracture somewhere along a bone, the limb is often twisted upwards, downwards or to the side,showing that the leg has been completely broken.If you are not sure, compare the shape of the injured limb with the opposite, normal one

SHORTENED LIMB: Complete fracture of the thigh bone (Femur/Humerus) causing an overlap of the two ends or a severe dislocation of their upper joints (hip/shoulder) can make the limb appear short and thick at the top.Sometimes it looks as if it is hanging and - as the animal moves,it swings freely

EXPOSED FRACTURES: We speak of a fracture as being exposed, if the end of the broken bone pushes through muscles and skin and is visible.This is a serious outcome and requires instant attention from a vet to prevent the exposed part from becoming infected

TREATMENT

If you suspect that your pet has suffered a bone or joint injury, it would be advisable to have the animal seen by a vet at once

IMMOBILIZATION OF LIMB: In the case of a clearly serious injury, it may help to immobilize the limb at once with a splint eg. if you are dealing with a complete fracture of obvious dislocation

Or if you are in a remote spot and the animal - being too big to carry, has to walk

GAUZE BANDAGES: For binding up the injured area. These could be replaced by strips of cloth from garments,towels or sheets or handkerchiefs if the limb is small

PADS: Cotton wool for making a pad to prevent the splint from directly touching the injured and painful part. Failing this, one may use pieces of soft material in a single layer if thick enough, or folded several times

If you are out in the countryside - a bundle of grass stems or hay will do, so long as it is soft

SPLINTS: The size required, varies according to the part to be immobilized from 15-20cm to 40cm and more.They must be flat and rectangular in cross section,strong and yet light

The best material is wood,especially if light and resistant you can use lolly sticks,slats from fruit boxes or straight bits of branches split lengthwise

If nothing else is at hand,you can use plastic objects such as tubing of an apropriate diameter electrical conduit or water pipes and cut into halves

Newsapapers or corrugated carboard to wind round the limb are also a good substitute

Adhesive plasters,shoe laces,string,bandages to fix the splints

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