How your veterinarian will fix a dog's broken bone. Dr. Dan explains.

**This video is for entertainment and educational purposes only. If your pet is sick, take them to see your local veterinarian for the care they need** (Disclaimer)
Happy Saturday everyone!

My name is Dan, and I am a veterinarian. As a veterinarian I see a lot of broken bones. I see everything from major femoral bones being fractured to small hairline fractures in a dog's wrist.

With any broken bone the dog will have inflammation and pain. For this reason the dog will not want to use their leg. Most dogs with a broken bone will hop and limp on their broke bone leg. Your veterinarian may say the dog is lame on that leg. Sometimes the dog will put no weight on the leg and other times they will put a little bit of weight on the leg to get around.

A veterinarian will do a complete exam including a lameness exam and palpation of the possibly broken leg. By doing a complete exam on the dog we make sure nothing is missed. Once the vet has identified the broken leg on the dog, an x-ray or radiograph of the broken leg can be taken.

It is possible to complete an x-ray on a dog's broken bone, but a lot of dogs enjoy a little sedation for their x-ray. It can be very painful to move or leg into position for an x-ray or radiograph, so sedation is give to the dog to relax them and help with any pain.

Once a broken bone is been identified with the help of an x-ray, the veterinarian can take one of two actions. If the break can be stabilized and there are not multiple pieces of fracted bone, a bandage or cast may be a good option. This cast or bandage may need to be changed very regularly to keep the leg clean and healthy. Most legs can have a significant amount of healing over 6-8 weeks. Most bones will be completely healed in 12 weeks.

If the bone can not be stabilized or the fracture has multiple pieces or if it is a compound fracture, a veterinary orthopedic specialist is recommended. The specialist will be able to stabilize the broken bone with pins, screws, or a plate surgically.

With or without surgery pain medications and medications for inflammation are needed. These medications will help reduce inflammation in the dog's leg and around the broken bone. Pain management is also very important.

Видео How your veterinarian will fix a dog's broken bone. Dr. Dan explains. канала Dan The Veterinarian