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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

How to fix fractures in young pets with external bandages?

By Shamir, M H et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·1996·Department of Surgery·View original on PubMed

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Original publication title: Semirigid external fixation for repair of fractures in young animals.

Movement & joints

Plain-English summary

A young dog or cat with a broken leg can be treated using a special bandage made with tongue depressors and cotton padding. In a study involving 13 young animals with fractures, including some that were open, this method was used successfully. The bandages were checked regularly, and all the fractures healed well, with the splints being removed after about three to six weeks. This approach was found to be simple to apply and adjust as needed during recovery, making it effective for different types of fractures.

People also search for: dog leg fracture treatment · cat broken leg recovery · young animal fracture healing · external fixation for pets · how to care for a pet with a splint

Abstract

An alternative method for external coaptation of fractures in young animals utilizes tongue depressors incorporated in a bandage consisting of a thick layer of cotton padding, gauze bandaging, and adhesive tape. This method was used in 13 cases with fractures of the tibia or the radius and ulna, some of which were open. Five cases (four dogs and a cat) had displaced fractures, and eight cases had either nondisplaced or only mildly displaced fractures. Size of the animal was not considered a limiting factor. Bandages were examined periodically. All fractures healed uneventfully, and the splints were removed 21-to-44 days after application. This method of external coaptation proved to be easy to apply and modify during the healing process and was applicable to a wide variety of fractures with good results.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8906730/