As a dog owner, one responsibility that you have to your pet is ensuring that it gets the proper care in the wake of an injury. A broken bone is a serious issue that can potentially affect your dog. If you believe that your pet has a broken bone anywhere in its body, your top priority should be to find an emergency veterinary clinic in your area and visit it right away. This means that if you notice the suspected injury at night, you shouldn't wait until the next business day to get your pet the treatment that it needs. Here are some things to know about broken bones in dogs.
Common Causes
A dog can break a bone in its body as a result of several different occurrences. Broken bones are common after falls. If your pet is running outside and steps into a hole in the ground, it may tumble and end up with a broken bone in its foot or leg. Falls in the house can also be serious; a dog that slips and falls down the stairs, for example, could suffer a broken bone in its leg or even its hip. Broken bones, including ribs, can potentially also occur as a result of an attack from another dog, especially if the other animal is significantly larger and stronger. You should especially be concerned about broken bones in elderly dogs, as their bones can become brittle with age.
Broken Bone Indicators
It's important to be aware of indicators that your dog may have broken a bone. Being around the animal when it falls may alert you that a potential break has occurred, but there are other things to look for if the dog has sustained an injury on its own. For example, you might notice the pet limping severely or attempting to walk with three legs. These can be indicators of a leg injury, including a broken bone. Some dogs can act aggressively in the wake of an injury, so if a pet that is normally docile is aggressive toward you, this can suggest that something is wrong.
Why You Need To Act Promptly
Even if it's outside of regular business hours, you need to act quickly to a suspected broken bone. Ignoring this problem for even a short period of time is problematic for several reasons. For starters, you're subjecting your dog to what may be a significant amount of pain. Additionally, failing to seek veterinary care for the injury could lead to the break worsening in severity. Look online to find an emergency vet clinic in your area, such as South Seattle Veterinary Hospital, whenever you suspect that your pet has sustained any serious injury, including a broken bone.
