My furry nephew got hurt last week. Even though I have had dogs for over 25 years, went to vet tech school, got certified in canine rehab, and do animal reiki and canine massage – i still felt helpless. It was a reminder that sometimes the closer you are to an emergency, the easier it is to freeze.
After going to the emergency vet hospital for stabilization, and his primary veterinarian for follow-up, he is now waiting to see an orthopedic specialist. Thankfully I’ve been educated enough along the way to have gained some useful knowledge to help bridge the gap while waiting for that appointment.
I wanted to share it in case any of you find yourselves in that panicky place between pet injury and medical help. It may not apply to every instance, but hopefully can be a starting block until you get professional input.
How To Care For A Suspected Orthopedic Pet Injury While Waiting For Your Vet Appointment:
- The 5 “No”s
No off-leash outside
No running
No jumping
No stairs
No slippery (uncarpeted or icy) surfaces
- Mobility Restriction
Keep movement restricted to a small room.
They don’t have to be crated – It’s ok for them to still have some room to move around.
(And they should always have enough room to be able to stand up, lay down, and turn around to change position.)
It’s best if the room does not have anything they are tempted to jump on or off.
(For example, a carpeted dining room is better than a slippery kitchen floor or living room with couches to jump on/off)
- Control Inflammation
The inflammation process is the body’s immediate response to injury,
but it itself can cause additional discomfort and further damage to the cartilage around a joint.
Cold can help minimize this process – so try cold packs on the injured area a few times throughout each day.
(Aim for a minimum of twice a day – once after first getting up in the morning, and again before going to sleep at night.
It will also be helpful following any introduction back to activity once ok’d by your vet.)
The vet may also prescribe pet-safe anti-inflammatory medication, dosed according to their weight and health history.
- Massage
Gentle massage of the the limbs and joints can be helpful to increase circulation.
This in turn brings oxygen to the injured area and carries excess inflammatory fluids away from the site.
Remember that each limb has multiple joints –
Arms have shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingers/front digits. Legs have hip, knee (stifle), ankle, and toes/back digits.
Muscles above and below each of these joints can be impacted by injury,
In addition, limbs other than the primary injured limb can be impacted, as they help compensate for the injured limb.
Always massage more gently than you would normally rub your pet, until you have more input after your medical visit.
- Passive Range of Motion
There is a fine line between not pushing an injured area too much
versus the chance of muscle atrophy/weakness that can come from not moving it at all – or in the wrong ways.
Passive Range of Motion is when you gently put a joint through flexion (closing the joint angle) and extension (opening the angle)
while the animal themselves is not moving (preferably laying down comfortably).
For example, after massaging (which warms up the joint for easier movement)
laying with your pet’s injured side facing upwards (so as not to compress it with the animals weight)
gently hold above and below each joint, slowly opening the angle (hold a few seconds) and closing the angle (hold a few seconds).
You do not want movement in any other directions, and it should be done carefully, with focus on any indicators of discomfort.
If your pet shows any sign of discomfort, stop immediately, and ease back to the last place it seemed comfortable.
Keep in mind that over-doing movement can make an injury worse – so always do less if you have any doubt at all.
- Standing In Place
Another name for this is static standing. It also helps the muscles and bones not weaken/atrophy through allowing weight bearing,
without the complexities of movement which adds in many complicating factors.
Simply allowing them to stand in place is helpful, keeping hands almost on them so that you can give whatever assist
may be needed – either to help hold them up or to keep them from trying to move more.
- Short, slow, controlled leash walks on even surfaces
Since most of our furry family members don’t use the toilet inside, we need to help them get outside to relieve themselves.
Keeping them on the leash, so they do not get distracted and try to run,
maintain a very slow rate of walking movement, which will encourage them to place each foot on the ground as they go.
Try to keep a straight line of walking, on an even surface (avoiding hills, curbs, steps, bumpy/rocky or slippery/sandy/icy areas).
If you have to go up or down stairs, and your pet is too big to safely carry, use a towel under their abdomen as an assistive device.
(For example, fold a bath towel in half the long way, then half again –
place the middle under the dog’s belly and hold each end up above them as your handle.)
This allows you to help hold up some of their weight, while still allowing them to get each foot on the ground as they take steps.
Once you see your orthopedic veterinarian, they will give further instructions for a recommended plan of care, which may or may not involve surgery, but should include some type of rehabilitation with a vet tech or physical therapist/PTA who is certified in canine rehabilitation.
At that time, additional healing modalities may be included (such as theraputic laser, ultrasound or electrical stimulation (E-stim)), as well as exercises that will be taught to carry out at home. Those exercises will include passive and/or active range of motion for the joints, as well as those aimed at strengthening through weight bearing with and without movement.
If immobilization of any type is recommended, like some type of brace or wrapping, it will be with the joint in a flexed (bent) position
to avoid contracture (shortening) of the muscle (which can happen over time if immobilized in a straight position).
If you have any questions about your pet’s safety while awaiting any type of vet appointment, don’t hesitate to call the office to ask questions. Although they may not be able to give you definite answers until they see your unique pet’s situation, they can at least guide you towards the safest choices until that day gets there.
Write down questions as they come to mind, so you won’t forget them. Write down what you and your pet have done, and have not done, so that you can give a good summary account once you are at your appointment. This should include a summary from any vets you have seen before them, including the initial emergency visit and a medical history from your primary vet.
Above all, try to stay calm so that your pet can stay calm. Sometimes the best thing we can do is just be there for them. Creating a quiet, nurturing environment for them (we all benefited from playing “Through a Dog’s Ear” CDs in the background this week.) And letting them know how much they are loved.
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(photo credit is my nephew Besitos (translation = “little kisses”))