Fractures

Who is usually affected?
-Dogs and cats of any breed, size, or age
-Small, thin boned dogs are particularly susceptible to breaking their legs when jumping, even from low heights

X-ray appearance of a tibial fracture, AP view Click to enlarge

What is happening?
-External trauma (such as being hit by a car or jumping from a height) causes bones to break

Clinical signs you might notice in your pet
-Severe limping or complete lack of weight bearing on a leg
-Swelling at the site of injury
-Pain upon touching the site of injury
-Improper positioning of a leg

Diagnosis
-Careful physical examination to determine the patient's overall status and the condition of the soft tissues (skin, muscles, ligaments/tendons) at the site of injury

X-ray appearance of a tibial fracture, lateral view Click to enlarge

-X-rays are used to evaluate the leg for a possible fracture
-With significant trauma additional x-rays of the chest and abdomen along with blood tests may be indicated to further evaluate vital internal organs

Surgical treatment
-If the patient has shock, severe blood loss, and difficulty breathing, medical treatment must preceed surgery
-Prior to surgery on the fractured leg, pain medication will be given and a bandage may be applied
-Depending on the specifics of each case, surgical options to stabilize bone include:
-Pins-often used to treat fractures that are near the end of the bone (such as at the growth plate in young animals) or in conjunction with another method
-Plate and screws-often used to treat fractures of the long bones
-Plate and intramedullary pin-used to treat fractures that are in multiple pieces (comminuted)
-External fixator-used to treat a variety of fractures, pins are placed in the bone fragments and connected outside the skin with bars and clamps

X-ray appearance of a femoral fracture stabilized with cross pins Click to enlarge

X-ray appearance of a radius/ulna fracture stabilized with a plate and screws Click to enlarge

X-ray appearance of a tibial fracture stabilized with a plate, screws, and intramedullary pin Click to enlarge

X-ray appearance of a tibial fracture stabilized with an external fixator Click to enlarge

Exterior appearance of a tibial fracture stabilized with an external fixator Click to enlarge

Special postoperative care
-Patient activity is strictly limited until fracture healing occurs, which usually takes 6-12 weeks
-X-rays are taken every 6-8 weeks to evaluate bone healing
-Physical therapy may aid the rehabilitation process

Expected results after surgery
-Most fractures heal successfully with proper care after surgery
-If the fracture involves a joint, arthritis may develop
-Additional therapy and/or time may be needed to achieve complete healing, if the fracture occurs in a small breed, older animal, or if soft tissue damage was extensive