Drovers Vet Hospital

The most common causes of bone fractures in dogs and cats are being hit by a car or falling from a height.

Possible signs of a fractured leg

The symptoms will depend on the location of the fracture.

Misshapen or visible out-of-place of joint
Limited mobility
Unable to move a limb or it hangs limply
Refuse to sit or lie down
Cannot support body weight
Swelling or swollen areas
Bleeding, bruising
Licking and whining
Intense pain

Signs of shock may also be evident if a car was involved

Pale, white gums
Rapid heartbeat
Rapid breathing
Rapid but weak pulse

Diagnosis

Diagnostic tests that may be needed to recognize and treat fractures include:

Complete medical history and physical examination
Radiographs (X-rays) of the affected limb or area
Chest and abdominal radiographs to rule out obvious internal organ injury especially for trauma patients
Blood tests to evaluate for systemic organ trauma and diseases or consequences of shock

Treatment

Pets that are in shock or have other internal injuries may need to have investigation of the fracture delayed until their shock and pain can be managed. Your veterinarian may temporarily stabilise the fracture by applying a splint or padded bandage.

The type of repair undertaken depends on a number of factors:

fracture type and duration
fracture location
presence of multiple bone fractures
intended activity levels of the patient
patient's age
owner's financial resources and commitment
Veterinary Surgeon’s preference

Definitive fracture reduction and stabilisation involves either closed reduction, in which a cast or splint is applied without surgery. A surgical method may also be an option using some type of metallic surgical implant such as a pin, wire, plate, screw, nail or fixator. The surgical technique often provides the best repair and chance for full return to function.

Frequently used implants include: pin and wires, plates and screws, interlocking nails, external skeletal fixators (ESF) or Kirschner apparatuses. ESF utilizes fixation pins that are placed through the skin and into the bone fragments. A series of clamps and bars or rings are used to stabilize the major fracture fragments.

Advanced veterinary orthopaedic surgery is technically equivalent to that enjoyed by human patients and uses similarly expensive materials (implants, bone plates, fixator devices) for repair of some fractures. The most desirable treatment can be somewhat costly. If medical and surgical costs are an issue, it is important to discuss the treatment options thoroughly with one of our veterinarians first.

It is important to remember that if you choose a less desirable option, the success rate may be lower and the chance for return to limb function less than ideal. Less desirable options may result in repeated visits to the veterinarian for problems associated with the original fracture. These visits can potentially contribute significantly to the overall veterinary costs. An example of this is splint care. A splint requires numerous return visits for bandage changes which may involve sedation and hospitalisation. Pressure sores may results from prolonged bandaging and then have to be treated.

How Does a Broken Bone Heal?

All broken bones go through the same healing process. This is true whether a bone has been cut as part of a surgical procedure or fractured due to an injury. The bone healing process has three overlapping stages: inflammation, bone production, and bone remodelling.

Inflammation starts immediately after the bone is fractured and lasts for several days. When the bone is fractured there is bleeding into the area, leading to inflammation and clotting of blood at the fracture site. This provides the initial structural stability and framework for producing new bone.
Bone production begins when the clotted blood formed by inflammation is replaced with fibrous tissue and cartilage (known as “soft callus”). As the healing progresses, the soft callus is replaced with hard bone (known as “hard callus”), which is visible on x-rays several weeks after the fracture.
Bone remodelling is the final phase of bone healing and goes on for several months after the fracture occurs. In remodelling, the bone continues to form and becomes compact, returning to its original shape. In addition, blood circulation in the area improves. Once adequate bone healing has occurred, weight-bearing on the affected leg (such as walking) encourages bone remodelling.

How long does it take for a Broken Bone to heal?

Broken bones generally take about 6 to 8 weeks for sufficient healing to occur. In general, puppies and kittens bones heal much faster than those of adult dogs and cats. Your input at this stage is a vital contribution to the overall success of the treatment.

Bone healing is a complex process. There can be considerable differences in the speed and success of healing amongst individuals. The time required for bone healing can be affected by many factors, including the type and location of the fracture, the pet’s age, presence of any underlying medical conditions and diet.

What can I do to help my pet’s fracture heal quickly?

1. AVOID EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT OF THE FRACTURE SITE

No two fractures are the same – some can heal without treatment, while others can resist ALL attempts to fix them. By far the majority of fractures will need stabilising and will heal well with it. However because no two fractures are the same, a method that works well for one fracture doesn’t necessarily work well for another.

Please remember, although the support applied is strong, it can never be as strong as the original bone. Often the bone is weakened after the fracture and can contain extensive “micro-fractures” which don’t show up on the x-ray or at surgery. This is where your input comes in. Boisterous pets MUST be kept confined (kennel or crate) or if necessary, sedated.

2. MAINTAIN GOOD BONE ALIGNMENT

Alignment is how well the fracture ends come together and how accurately the bone is held in its original position for healing. If alignment is not good it usually leaves spaces that must be filled with bone before healing. This will obviously take longer to heal, and be dependent on the stabilising device for longer.

3. AVOID INFECTION

Infection is a major problem in bone healing and MUST be carefully handled if present. It is most commonly encountered when the bone has penetrated the skin (a COMPOUND fracture) at the time of the accident.

4. DIET:

Ensure to feed your pet a high quality premium pet food and avoid calcium deficient meat only diets. Calcium deficiency most commonly occurs with young, growing pets where the demand for calcium is the highest. Fractures associated with this are quite delicate because ALL the bone is weak and the anchor for any stabilising device depends on this bone holding the weight. Feel free to ask your vet or vet nurse for some nutritional advice.

5. BLOOD SUPPLY

Poor blood supply to the fracture is associated with old age as well as particular areas of the body such as the tibia in its lower third. Young pets have particularly good blood supply in their bones (due to growth) and these bones can sometimes heal in as little as 10 days! Obviously, the day you take your pet home, the fracture has not been healed and in most cases will need around 2 months of rehabilitation and managing.

Home care after fracture fixation:

Please keep your pet strictly rested for a minimum of 2-4 weeks. This can be followed with gentle lead WALKING for a further 2-4 weeks. Note that exercise restriction is crucial until healing is complete.
Carefully follow all the instructions your veterinarian has provided and pay particular attention to the wound and the bandages or splints that were applied. Watch for any redness, swelling or abnormal discharge from the incision.
All bandages, splints or casts must be kept clean and dry. It is better to have no bandage than a loose or wet one. Refer to our bandaging information for more details.
Ensure to return for revisits as specified by your vet at regular intervals. This is to ensure that problems are picked up early - every 2 weeks may be advisable.
Repeat X-rays may be taken to make sure the fracture is healing properly.
You should contact us especially if your pets’ condition worsens at any pointe. should your pet stop eating or if a steadily improving fracture becomes suddenly painful again.
Wires are mostly left in.
Pins are mostly removed at about 8 weeks.
Plates and screws are best removed after 4-6 months; however they are often left in.
Kirschner apparatuses are removed in 6-8 weeks.

Should internal fixation devices be removed?

X-rays are usually employed prior to removal to ensure that healing has been sufficient. One anaesthetic is required to perform both these procedures. Please enquire about the cost of these procedures.

Finally, we must touch the subject of weight control. This is vital to reduce the weight load on the fixation device and therefore reduce the chances of its breakdown. See our obesity information sheet for more.