Setting a broken leg when a Vet is not
available
or when working with your Vet
by John Hales WONDOAN IG's © October 2000
When you live many miles from the
nearest Vet we have in the past resorted to setting broken legs
ourselves
and have found this method quite successful.
I remember one occasion when having carried out this proceedure
and whe we eventually
got to our vet the next day He unwrapped the bandage took one
look and said
you have done as good a job as I could have, rewrapped the leg
and sent us home
We will explain each step as we go.
The splint that we use is a Kirschner half cast with a spoon,
we cut the spoon part off and sand the edges so they are smooth.
The secret to getting the leg to heal quickly is to leave the
foot out so that they can use it,
which helps the circulation, Good blood circulation helps the
break heal quickly.
With the spoon still attached it stops the dog from using the
foot.
So the first picture is of the plastic SPLINT, with the spoon part cut off.
It is lined with cotton wool so that the leg is protected and
dose not rub.
A length of plastic pipe of a suitable size cut in half
lengthwise would do the job in an emergency
We give the dog a tranquilliser so that they are manageable, when
that has
worked, lay the leg in the splint on the cotton wool, and then
pull the LEG
out so it is straight and let it go back into place, this is the
worst bit as it dose hurt the dog, but must
be done and done quickly before the leg swells. In most cases the
bone will go back to the original position before the break.
Position the leg so that the toes are outside the splint.
Have some paper SPORT
TAPE (this sticks well, but when
removed comes off easily and dose not pull the
hair off), about a good1/2" to 3/4" wide and put tape
across the leg and around the
splint in three places, at the foot just below the pastern joint,
Then one at the top of the leg, and then one on the break itself,
the
tape must go onto the leg, so don't get the cotton woolbetween
the leg and the tape.
Then BANDAGE the leg starting at the foot and going up to and around
the
elbow and back down again with a cohesive bandage (the one that
sticks to itself)
we have found that it is better to buy the more expensive one
than the
colored ones. Leave the end of the bandage at the underside of
the leg so
that it is harder for them to chew at it. Then have some sticking
plaster,
the stretchy sort, ( ELASTOPLAST) and put it
around the top of the leg above the elbow so that the splint
dose not move down the leg and come off, you will have to gauge
the pressure
of the dressing, not to loose not to tight, if it is to tight the
foot is
going to swell. You are going to get some swelling anyway, so you
will have
to have some anti inflammatories to give her, keep an eye on the
swelling it
will take a couple of days to come back to normal, and then you
can
discontinue the anti inflammatories. Also keep an eye on the
temperature of
the swolen toes, if they get too cold then you have the dressings
to tight, and you are
cutting off the circulation.
Just remember that the quicker that the leg is dressed, the less
swelling
there will be, and that makes for a straighter leg when it heals.
If the leg swells before it is dressed, then when the swelling
goes down in
the cast, the leg is more liable to twist in the cast.
You will have to do minor repairs as time goes by, as the dog
will chew at
the dressings in most cases. We feel that the coheasive bandage
also allows the air to get to the leg
and reduces the chances of rotting of the flesh if the skin has
been broken.
If at all possible get your dog to the Vet to make sure everything is ok.