How do I know if my pet may have a fractured bone?
Sometimes your pet sustains a traumatic event, such as a car accident, that may lead to your pet fracturing a bone. Other times you may not be aware of any traumatic event but your pet may have symptoms of a fracture.
Because a fracture is painful, if your pet has sustained a fracture, it will normally be unable to bear weight or stand on the affected limb. Sometimes, your pet will not get up or walk at all. There may also be soft tissue swelling in the region of the fracture or you may notice an open wound in the skin.
If your pet is exhibiting any of these symptoms, they should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
How are fractures diagnosed?
At Roanoke Animal Hospital, our team of veterinarians may be able to detect if your pet has a fracture just by examining your pet for limping, pain or swelling. Sometimes, we can feel instability or a grinding sensation between the ends of the broken bones. However, X-rays are necessary to confirm the diagnosis of a fracture. Because fractures can be painful, often pain medications are recommended before performing X-rays.