Dog Hock Joint Fracture
When dislocated, the wrist (carpal) and hock joints are usually said to be broken. The many little bones of which the joints are composed are held together by ligaments that may be ruptured. The leg may hang sideways with skin and ligament on one side torn away, and yet when it is straightened and held immobile, the joint heal and in time the dog will be able to walk as well as before the dislocation.
Injuries to joints may require many weeks of careful nursing. Ligaments do regenerate and skin does grow across, but the spot will be bald. That is why the veterinarian tries to draw the skin as closely together as he or she can – that and because the skin makes the stand the natural covering.
The hock joint fracture can be very traumatic when the tissues and the ligaments get entirely damaged. Dog hock joint fracture can also take place due to rigorous exercise and daily wear and tear. As a pet owner, you are recommended to keep a keen watch on your dog to detect any incidence of dog hock joint fracture.
You must find out whether your dog is suffering from lameness, swelling of joints, the occurrence of the wound along the region close to any joint, and feeling of tenderness or heat in the region.
The following are the ways to diagnose the incidence of dog hock joint fracture clinically.
Diagnosing Hock Joint Fracture
- At first, a detailed physical check-up and examination of the medical history of the dog are done.
- The doctor then critically examines the heavily wounded region. For this, the dog might be given sedation or anesthesia as it might get highly aggressive if the wound is attended.
- With the aid of radiographic X-rays, one can be able to make out any incidence of articular fracture or any form of joint swelling.
- To determine the nature of the joint fluid Arthrocentesis is conducted. The process involves drawing out liquid from the joint region and then clinically examining the nature of the fluid and the cause and intensity of the fracture.
- Many times the occurrence of chest injuries caused by automobile accidents may be diagnosed with the help of chest radiographs. To cure chest injuries many a time surgical operation is required.
Hock Joint Fracture Treatment
As a responsible pet owner, you are recommended to provide your pet with the just right treatment facility to your loving pet. Improper treatment might often aggravate the intensity of the fracture and may bring about permanent joint damage. You must ensure that your wounded pet takes complete rest. You must not allow the pet to move or go for rigorous physical exercise. You must also clean the external wound if any around the fractured joint region. You may also wrap or bandage the wounded region with a medicated cloth as that would help to reduce the swelling effectively and also would reduce the pain considerably. To relieve your dear pet from extreme pain you may also take the help of anti-steroidal and anti-inflammatory narcotics.
See more: Dog Hook Worms