The Dog's Medical Dictionary: An encyclopædia of the diseases, their diagnosis & treatment, and the physical development of the dogSewell, Alfred Joseph
Science
The Dog's Medical Dictionary: An encyclopædia of the diseases, their diagnosis & treatment, and the physical development of the dog
Sewell, Alfred Joseph
Dogs -- Diseases -- Dictionaries
In cases of comminutive fracture, the same treatment is required as for
simple fracture, but more time must be given for union to take place.
_Compound Fracture_ is more difficult to treat as the limb cannot be set
up permanently, as it is necessary to dress the wound daily, or at any
rate every other day for a time, and this disturbs the leg and interferes
with the mending of the bone. Before setting the limb in these cases,
the wound must be thoroughly cleaned with some antiseptic solution as
Pearson’s fluid, one in eighty parts of tepid water, or a solution of
chinosol, one grain to the ounce of water. All pieces of exposed loose
bone must be removed, and pieces of bone sticking through the wound
that cannot be put back must be sawn, or nipped off with bone forceps.
Then the limb, after being put in a natural straight position, should be
enveloped in several layers of some antiseptic gauze, before applying
the padded splints in the usual way. It is advisable, if possible, not
to place a splint over the wound, then by cutting a hole through the
bandages so as to expose the wound in the skin, which can be done when
it is small, it can be daily dressed without removing the whole of the
bandages every day, though it is necessary to do so once a week, as the
dressing becomes soiled with the discharge. The hole made in the bandages
must be kept packed with disinfectant gauze, as iodoform or carbolic
gauze, and be changed daily.
_Fracture of Bones of the Tail_ are best treated by setting up the tail
with strips of Mead’s adhesive plaister. Many layers must be applied so
as to keep the parts at rest. Adhesive plaister is advised, as it is
almost impossible to keep a bandage on the tail unless pitch or some
other such material is used, and this makes the dressing so heavy and
uncomfortable for the patient.
_Green Stick Fracture_: That is when a bone is broken, and the parts are
not displaced.
_Symptoms_: These cases are sometimes difficult to diagnose, however,
the parts are swollen and painful, and the dog is unable to put the
foot to the ground. With the aid of the X-rays the fracture is easily
discernible. The bone which I find by experience most liable to this form
of fracture is the radius or fore arm.
_Treatment_: The same as for cases of simple fracture, and it soon
unites, and the leg becomes strong again.
_Broken Back_, which occurs sometimes as the result of a dog being
run over, the part that generally breaks is across the loins—lumbar
vertebræ—well forward close to the dorsal vertebræ.
_Symptoms_: Acute pain at the part, some swelling of the soft tissues
covering the injured vertebræ, and loss of power and feeling of the parts
behind the injury.
_Treatment_: Useless; it is much the best to have the dog at once put out
of his misery.
_Fracture of the Cervical Vertebræ or Bones of the Neck_ may occur from
a dog being run over across the neck. Death, as a rule, quickly occurs.
There is nothing to be done.
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