# My chihuahua has a broken leg :(.. she is in pain help?



## mylolagirl

Hello,

I am new to this fourm so glad to find this forum. My concern is that on Wednesday my doggie broke her leg. I immediately took her to the emergency vet and they put a splint on her. Last night I notice that a couple of times she would cry when she tried to get up and walk. Once she is up she seems okay. The vet didn't give me any pain medicine to give her. Is this normal for her to still be in pain if she is wearing the splint on her leg?? Is there any pain medicine I could give her?? Should I be concern and take her back to the vet? Please help me with any suggestions this is the first time I have been thru this .


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## cprcheetah

You need to find a different vet, broken legs are EXTREMELY painful, even wearing a splint, all the splint does is stabilize the bones so they heal 'straight' as possible. They do nothing for the pain other than make it so everytime your dog walks it isn't standing on the broken part. She needs pain medications. There really is nothing 'safe' that you can give her at home. She should have her splint changed at least every 5-7 days as well. Sorry your baby is in pain.


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## woodard2009

I'm sure someone with experience in this area will get to you soon. I can't believe your vet didn't give anything for pain. Have you tried contacting your vet to let him know what's going on? It's important that the bones heal correctly. They may not be splinted right where the bones can heal right. Keeps up posted.
How did your baby break his leg?


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## mylolagirl

cprcheetah said:


> You need to find a different vet, broken legs are EXTREMELY painful, even wearing a splint, all the splint does is stabilize the bones so they heal 'straight' as possible. They do nothing for the pain other than make it so everytime your dog walks it isn't standing on the broken part. She needs pain medications. There really is nothing 'safe' that you can give her at home. She should have her splint changed at least every 5-7 days as well. Sorry your baby is in pain.



Thanks for the advice . Yeah I am going to take her to a different Vet tomorrow. I guess since it was a emergency room vet clinic they didn't really care about the pain she might be in and just wanted to get us out of there fast  (there was too many other poor animals waiting to be treated) . I know they gave her pain medicine that day but they didn't give me anything to give her at home. Yeah they did mention that I need to have it changed every 5-7 days ... but I guess it is best I take as soon as possible to make sure it was put on correctly and to get her some pain meds.


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## mylolagirl

woodard2009 said:


> I'm sure someone with experience in this area will get to you soon. I can't believe your vet didn't give anything for pain. Have you tried contacting your vet to let him know what's going on? It's important that the bones heal correctly. They may not be splinted right where the bones can heal right. Keeps up posted.
> How did your baby break his leg?


I know isn't that horrid . I guess because it was a emergency vet clinic and not a regular vet they didn't think about that. I know they gave her something that day but nothing for me to give to her at home. I just contacted a new vet because I moved to a new area so they want me to take her in tomorrow to make sure it was splinted correctly. 

On how it happened my son was holding her and she saw another dog from a distance and leaped out of his hands. she didn't quite land right (yikes) hit the floor. She didn't break the whole leg but the bones on the paw that attach her fingers (I forgot what medical term is). It was such a tragedy for us I couldn't stop crying. My poor baby.. I hate to see her like this she is usually a very active dog and to see her just laying there breaks my heart.


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## Brodysmom

The splint was probably just placed as a temporary fix until you could get to your regular vet. A splint isn't stable enough for that to heal, so her bones will be grating against each other. She needs a cast, or at least something better than just a splint. Did you go to your regular vet for follow up? They will also give her something for pain. Please go right away and don't wait.


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## mylolagirl

Brodysmom said:


> The splint was probably just placed as a temporary fix until you could get to your regular vet. A splint isn't stable enough for that to heal, so her bones will be grating against each other. She needs a cast, or at least something better than just a splint. Did you go to your regular vet for follow up? They will also give her something for pain. Please go right away and don't wait.



No I didn't because emergency vet clinic told me to see the Vet on Monday so they can change her splint. They informed me that she wouldn't need a cast for the bone to heal that they splint would heal it. I assumed they knew what the hell they were taking about since they handle doggies in emergency situations. I didn't realize that my poor girl will still be in pain . I just moved to a new area so I am not near the regular Vet I take her to. I did some calling around today and found one in my area. I will take her tomorrow so they can check her out better and maybe get her on some pain medicine.


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## SweetSymphony

Sorry to hear about your lil' girl. 

Aidyn has a broken leg too, and the vet gave him 10 days worth of pain meds. Which was enough for him. He has had two casts that had the hard splint to keep it immobilized and now is in a softer walking cast. After his meds ran out he didn't need them anymore, he didn't hurt nearly as bad. It's been about four weeks since he broke it, so hes almost completely healed now. It's hard for those first few days, hope she feels better soon. I'm sure you'll keep a good eye on it, and since the break isn't in the same place as Aidyn's it might not apply, but watch out for the foot starting to turn inward. Aidyn's leg started turning inward and the leg was healing crooked, the vet has is straightened out now though. 

Aidyn sympathizes with your baby, hope she feels better soon.


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## KayC

Awwww I am so sorry, I agree with another vet visit. Your baby needs something for pain.


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## Deme

welcome to the forum and sorry to hear about your little girl, I do hope you get the pain relief sorted quickly


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## Reese and Miley

Poor pup! Thats appalling that they didnt send her home with any pain relief, Ive had to take one of our chis and one of our cats to the ER vet in the past, both times they gave them plenty of pain meds. What an oversight on their part, I hope youre able to find a permanent vet in your new area who can take better care of her.


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## 18453

That vet is awful I'd put a complaint in

I hope they put a cast on and give it some pain Meds poor little thing


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## Mom of 4 Chi's

That's just awful! Common sense should have kicked in with the er vet. It's a broken bone!!! 
Broken bones = pain! Duh!
I'm sorry your baby is going through this. I hope you can get her to a vet soon. The sooner the better. You can always call the er vet you took her to and tell them you want some pain meds. There should be absolutely no reason for them to say no. I'd call right now!


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## barefoot

Years ago I had a dog break his front leg. I adore my vet and we healed the break with just a splint. It healed fine. 

Sometimes I think that they withhold the pain meds so the dog rests. If there is no pain they may tend to want to run around.


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## mylolagirl

barefoot said:


> Years ago I had a dog break his front leg. I adore my vet and we healed the break with just a splint. It healed fine.
> 
> Sometimes I think that they withhold the pain meds so the dog rests. If there is no pain they may tend to want to run around.


I think you are right 

How long did it take for the leg to heal?? how old is your dog?? Well I took her to another vet but I didn't really like him. He was already talking about inserting pins in her foot...give me a break she has only been in the splint for 5 days how can he say that she needs surgery so soon . You are lucky to find a great vet for your doggy. I think there are so hard to come by sometimes they seem to care more about how much money they can take from you instead of the health of the animal. The emergency vet that I first took her too told me she factured the top of her four toes (the metatarsals) and it should heal with proper care and a splint approx 6 to 8 weeks. So we are still on a mission to find her a good vet that will give her the proper care she needs.


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## mylolagirl

SweetSymphony said:


> Sorry to hear about your lil' girl.
> 
> Aidyn has a broken leg too, and the vet gave him 10 days worth of pain meds. Which was enough for him. He has had two casts that had the hard splint to keep it immobilized and now is in a softer walking cast. After his meds ran out he didn't need them anymore, he didn't hurt nearly as bad. It's been about four weeks since he broke it, so hes almost completely healed now. It's hard for those first few days, hope she feels better soon. I'm sure you'll keep a good eye on it, and since the break isn't in the same place as Aidyn's it might not apply, but watch out for the foot starting to turn inward. Aidyn's leg started turning inward and the leg was healing crooked, the vet has is straightened out now though.
> 
> Aidyn sympathizes with your baby, hope she feels better soon.


I sure hope my baby heals soon. How old is your doggy?? She didn't break her leg it was actually her four rear toes (the metatarsals). I am hoping the ER vet was right that with the splint she should heal in about six to eight weeks. I just have to make sure we change it every 5 to 7 days. Well I took her to that other Vet over the weekend and I didn't like him at all. He was already talking about placing pins in her foot ..give me a break she has only been in the splint for 5 days. That just didn't sit right with me at all . So me and Lola are still on a mission to find a great vet. Her pain is much better now she tries to run around everywhere but I have to make her rest


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## tricializ

Maya broke her leg when she was a little over 5 months. She required 2 surgeries to repair it (putting plate in her leg and then taking that out). 
I agree with the others, but the best thing I had for my little Maya was a "puppy purse" The Original PuppyPurse Pet Carrier System: Home Page 
It allowed me to have her carried around without smothering in a bag and I could still go about my day. Way less crying and it kept her off that leg. 
I'm sorry about your baby.


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## SweetSymphony

mylolagirl said:


> I sure hope my baby heals soon. How old is your doggy?? She didn't break her leg it was actually her four rear toes (the metatarsals). I am hoping the ER vet was right that with the splint she should heal in about six to eight weeks. I just have to make sure we change it every 5 to 7 days. Well I took her to that other Vet over the weekend and I didn't like him at all. He was already talking about placing pins in her foot ..give me a break she has only been in the splint for 5 days. That just didn't sit right with me at all . So me and Lola are still on a mission to find a great vet. Her pain is much better now she tries to run around everywhere but I have to make her rest


I hope you find another vet that you both like. I was lucky in that the vet I took him too is so sweet and obviously loves animals. Aidyn is 5 months old. The pain meds he got made him sleepy so it was easier to keep him confined. He now wants to run and play like nothing has happened and it scares me to death, lol, he's still under orders not to do to much even though he has a walking cast. So I have him play with his toys in his bed and in my lap, allowing him to run on the floor after a potty break for several minutes. 

I'm so glad to hear she is feeling better. It's hard to make them sit still when they want to play. Aidyn has gotten good at the please let me out very sad puppy dog here look. Big liquid dark eyes, but I'm being a mean mommie.  

Keep us posted on Lola's progress. 

Elisabeth & Aidyn


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## Yoshismom

I hope you find a good vet. Prayers are with you guys!


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## cprcheetah

Actually putting pins or plates in a fracture as soon as it happens it pretty common, depending on the type of break it is the BEST way to get it to heal with minimal arthritis later & straight, you can't always get it straight with casts. It takes about 6-8 weeks for breaks to heal.


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## BlessingsAbound

My little girl has two broken metacarpals (foot bones) right now. The ER doc used a large splint and then wrapped it in bandages and sent us home with 10 pain med syringes. 

My regular vet re-wrapped using a much harder cast-like splint (hollwed out for her foot - like half of a cast) and wrapped that. We just went back for repeat x-rays at four weeks and one bone is healing nicely, the other one is still minorly displaced so she will stay in a cast for two more weeks. 

I wanted to mention that my vet said had she broken more bones, surgery would've been necessary as the bones don't always fuse together properly (as is the case with the one bone resistent to heal). In our case, only one of the bones is still displaced so surgery isn't warranted. I'd be concerned in your case since you have mutliple bones fractures - the problem is bony tissue calcifies and will turn her foot into a block of calcification if the bones aren't properly articulated and separated (i.e. surgical intervention).

Hopefully that isn't the case but I would definitely consult another vet. Check into Care Credit if expenses become a problem. That's what we did to spread out the cost of Cocoa's vet bill. We budget $200/ month for our dogs but this exceeded our regular budget and Care Credit allows us to pay over a 6 month period with no interest. 

I have x-rays I could e-mail you off board if you were curious to compare our injury to yours. Cocoa is a 1-year-old long coat Chi. 

Prayers for your pooch!!!


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