How Can I Tell If My Dog’s Leg is Broken or Sprained? Our Vet Explains the Signs & What to Do

The station How Can I Tell If My Dog’s Leg is Broken oregon Sprained? Our Vet Explains the Signs & What to Do by Dr. Joe Mallat DVM (Veterinarian) appeared archetypal connected Dogster. Copying implicit full articles infringes connected copyright laws. You whitethorn not beryllium alert of it, but each of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, truthful they aren't considered nationalist domain. However, we admit that you similar the nonfiction and would emotion it if you continued sharing conscionable the archetypal paragraph of an article, past linking retired to the remainder of the portion connected Dogster.com.

Dog owners ne'er privation to spot their canine companions successful pain. Unfortunately, there’s lone truthful overmuch we tin bash to supervise our dogs and forestall injuries. Accidents hap to us, and they tin hap to our dogs too. Dogs are known for their energetic demeanor and emotion for exercise, and these 2 factors whitethorn predispose them to injuries. If your canine has injured a leg, you’ve astir apt noticed them limping.

Next, you mightiness wonderment if they’ve suffered a sprain, oregon breached the leg. This tin beryllium challenging to decipher and is mostly champion near to the expertise of a veterinarian. A thorough carnal exam, arsenic good arsenic the payment of acquisition and imaging specified arsenic X-rays, enables vets to separate a sprain from a breached bone.

What Is a Sprain?

Sprain injuries hap erstwhile the ligaments are stretched oregon torn. Ligaments are the pugnacious bands of fibrous insubstantial that link bones together. Dogs thin to endure sprains aft high-impact workout specified arsenic running, jumping, oregon playing with different dog. They tin besides hap pursuing a slip, trip, oregon fall.

Common sites astatine which dogs acquisition a strain are the wrist (carpus) and genu (stifle) joints, though immoderate associated tin beryllium sprained. A strain wounded is somewhat antithetic from a sprain. By definition, a strain affects a musculus oregon tendon, whereas a sprain affects a ligament.

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What Is a Broken Bone?

While sprains and strains are considered brushed insubstantial injuries, breached bones (by definition) impact the bone. A breached bony tin besides beryllium referred to arsenic a fractured bone – the 2 presumption mean the aforesaid thing. Any excessive unit tin origin a bony to break. Essentially, immoderate signifier of trauma has caused the bony to interruption into 2 oregon much pieces.

Collisions with obstacles astatine speed, road-traffic accidents, and high-rise falls are the astir communal causes of breached bones successful dogs. In general, bony fractures are considered much superior than sprains, though determination are exceptions.

How to Tell the Difference: 4 Tips

As we person mentioned, differentiating a breached limb from a sprain indispensable beryllium done by a veterinarian. Below are 4 tips that mightiness suggest that a fracture is much likely.

However, the lack of these signs does not mean the limb is decidedly sprained: determination whitethorn beryllium a tiny oregon subtle fracture that appears arsenic a sprain.

1. There is important swelling oregon bruising

Many breached bones volition person important swelling and bruising owed to the severity of the trauma. Some sprains volition besides person swelling and bruising, though it is usually much subtle.

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2. You tin visualize bone

In immoderate “open” fractures, the bony has displaced importantly and pierced the skin, meaning you tin spot bone. This is simply a bully denotation that the bony is apt broken, and you should question urgent veterinary attention.

3. The limb appears “floppy”

If the injured limb appears excessively floppy, unstable, oregon is “dangling”, determination is simply a precocious accidental that your canine has sustained a fracture.

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4. Your canine won’t carnivore immoderate weight

Most dogs with a breached bony volition not carnivore immoderate value successful the leg. They volition beryllium hopping astir connected 3 legs, arsenic the symptom is excessively overmuch for them to transportation value done the breached leg. However, this tin besides beryllium seen with terrible sprains oregon anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

What Should I Do Next?

Contact your veterinary clinic oregon nearest exigency vet clinic. They mightiness inquire you a fewer questions to gauge however urgently your canine needs to beryllium seen. If the wounded appears mild oregon has been occurring for a while, you should publication the soonest disposable appointment. If the symptom is important oregon you are acrophobic astir a fracture, exigency attraction is warranted.

In the meantime, enactment calm and mildly restrain your dog. Avoid touching the injured leg. If your canine is incapable to walk, effort utilizing a towel (or thing similar) arsenic a sling nether their belly to assistance them.

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How Are Leg Injuries Treated successful Dogs?

Sprains and strains tin often beryllium managed with painkillers and anti-inflammatories. Rest is often indispensable to springiness the assemblage clip to heal, though this tin beryllium the astir challenging facet of wounded betterment successful dogs (they ne'er privation to rest!). Icing the affected area, arsenic good arsenic utilizing vigor packs, whitethorn beryllium beneficial but should beryllium discussed with your veterinarian.

Braces are seldom utilized successful veterinary practice. If your canine is overweight, pursuing a weight-loss programme (again, advised by your veterinarian) is captious for wounded prevention successful the future.

Treating breached legs tin beryllium much involved. Some fractures necessitate splinting oregon casting to immobilize the affected limb. Other fractures necessitate surgeries successful which the bones are realigned and often held unneurotic with an interior plate, wires, oregon thing similar.

Certain fractures (such arsenic immoderate hep fractures) whitethorn beryllium allowed to heal connected their own, again utilizing rest and symptom relief. For the astir severe, inoperable fractures, amputation of the limb whitethorn beryllium considered arsenic a past resort.

Conclusion

Injuries are comparatively communal successful dogs, including sprained ligaments and breached bones. These injuries are mostly sustained successful antithetic ways, though the signs (limping, pain, and swelling) tin beryllium similar.

For the proprietor oregon layperson, distinguishing a sprain from a fracture tin beryllium difficult, if not impossible. If your canine has sustained an injury, bash not hesitate to interaction your veterinarian for punctual attraction and guidance.

Featured Image Credit: Liudmyla Guniavaia, Shutterstock

The station How Can I Tell If My Dog’s Leg is Broken oregon Sprained? Our Vet Explains the Signs & What to Do by Dr. Joe Mallat DVM (Veterinarian) appeared archetypal connected Dogster. Copying implicit full articles infringes connected copyright laws. You whitethorn not beryllium alert of it, but each of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, truthful they aren't considered nationalist domain. However, we admit that you similar the nonfiction and would emotion it if you continued sharing conscionable the archetypal paragraph of an article, past linking retired to the remainder of the portion connected Dogster.com.