My dog broke his leg in two places. We took him to the vet, they put a cast on his leg. After two months they took the cast off. Its now been 4 months since the cast has been off and he still doesnt walk on his leg. Also the muscle mass in his leg is much less than his other leg? Will he ever walk on it again? I feel terrible..please help!
2007-07-08 03:10:47 · 9 answers · asked by Natalie W 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
If you have ever been in a cast you would know that people also suffer from loss of muscle mass when in a cast. Usually after a bad or complicated break and long period of time in a cast people go through physical therapy. First talk to your vet. Have him show you some movements you can do to your dogs leg (when he is laying down) that can help relieve the stiffness & discomfort he is feeling. Does your dog like to play in water? If so, I would take him for a swim every day....water is great therapy for dogs as well as people. He will use his leg again, but it may take a long time...it's not as if you can actually explain to the dog that the more he uses it (his leg) the more the stiffness and pain will go away...
2007-07-08 03:21:32 · answer #1 · answered by Barbiq 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First answer is a good advice. When I broke my leg it was fixed, but, after 3 months in a cast, I had lost muscle and it hurt to walk as it get sore from being weak. The dog may have come to the conclusion it feel better not to use the leg and has adjusted for this. A Vet may be able to give you some exercises that help the dog regain confidence in the leg to use it. IF, it has healed correctly as "Another" Vet may say!
2007-07-08 03:21:41 · answer #2 · answered by Snaglefritz 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i understand this is going to sound ridiculous, in spite of the incontrovertible fact that it truly is technically no longer an emergency. If the leg is saved good (an ace bandage won't achieve this), there's no longer an open fracture, and the dogs isn't in discomfort, it truly is something which could particularly wait some days. That being pronounced, *MY* dogs breaking a leg is an emergency. *My* dogs does no longer be sitting residing house with a broken leg, no count what a vet or receptionist instructed me. it truly isn't any longer an insult on you via any potential, yet somewhat a element that shows the disparity between what a vet/receptionist says and what i've got faith. Your dogs has many secondary well being subject concerns which might make this much greater pressing. Diabetics are at extreme danger of infections and blood bypass subject concerns, and a broken leg could particular reason the two of those. If I have been on your project, i might call returned and ask to talk with somebody else, like the vet himself or a vet tech. in the event that they sense it truly is something that should be addressed right this moment, they are going to the two paintings you in or will deliver you to an emergency vet.
2016-10-20 06:56:34 · answer #3 · answered by deralin 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Talk to your vet about rehab options. As sutlebrick mentioned swimming is excellent so is just wading in the water. My girl made major strides with a previously casted leg by using a borrowed "home spa" - (you know, blows bubbles in the bathtub). Massage, range of motion exersise (YOU flex the leg carefully). I have heard of taping up the OTHER leg (just a tape boot to make that leg feel funny) to get them to use the "bad" one.
If you get her to use the leg even a little the muscles will build up (my girls did- you can't see a difference now)
2007-07-08 03:28:55 · answer #4 · answered by ragapple 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's possible the problem isn't only his leg. Because his leg was broken and in a cast for so long, your dog learned to compensate in order to be able to walk. It's very possible that part of his problem is that his spine is out of alignment. I totally believe in chiropractic and/or acupuncture treatments for dogs. My vet has helped all 3 of my dogs' various problems through both treatments. In all cases, part of their problem was that their spine was out of alignment because they were compensating for other injuries.
If he were my dog, I'd give that a try - maybe they can't help, but if they can, he'd be his old self again! Good luck!
2007-07-08 03:19:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your dog needs rehabilitation. Talk to your vet and ask if he/she can recommend a good physical therapy routine to get him using that leg again. I suspect swimming would be a good way to get him using the leg again without putting too much stress on it until he regains some strength.
2007-07-08 03:56:50 · answer #6 · answered by Buddy28 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd take him back to the vet and demand to know what the issue is, obviously he is still having pain/weakness
2007-07-08 03:13:42 · answer #7 · answered by jeep.mama 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hmmmmm taking him back to the vet pops into my head...
2007-07-08 04:04:12 · answer #8 · answered by CJ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
what jeep.mama said
2007-07-08 03:15:32 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋