Sprains are injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments and/or joints. This injury can result from the dog being too excited to play or due to a minor accident. Sprains must be caught quickly so they can be treated quickly before they develop into more serious injuries.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Recognizing the Symptoms of a Sprain
Step 1. Understand the dog's anatomy
Dogs can stand and walk on the toes of the front and back paws. When the dog is standing, you will notice the ankle on the hind leg between the knee and the tip of the toe. The shape is similar to the ankle in humans when on tiptoe.
Dogs do not have wrists on both front legs. Other types of sprains that occur in the forefoot can be treated in a similar way
Step 2. Know the cause of the sprain
Most dogs are quite athletic. The activities a dog engages in can put a very heavy load on the joints and sometimes cause injury.
- Running, jumping and turning sharply can put a lot of stress on the joints.
- Not all dogs are equally energetic, but a dog's joints can be put on a load that exceeds their capacity. Sprains can also be caused by slipping, falling, falling into a hole, or sometimes from something as simple as moving up and down the couch.
Step 3. Look at the limping dog walk
The most visible sign of a sprained dog is a limp gait.
- Sprained dogs tend to avoid putting weight on the injured leg.
- Depending on the severity, the dog may elevate the injured leg and not use it at all.
- Watch out for other causes of limping back legs. Injury to the hip, knee or leg will also make the dog limp.
Step 4. Check for visible symptoms
You may notice swelling or redness around the sprained ankle.
Dogs may often lick their injured wrists
Step 5. Watch for signs in the dog's behavior
The behavior of an injured dog may change from normal. These behavioral changes include:
- Changes in appetite, seen from decreased food consumption.
- Changes in activity level, for example the dog moves less and sleeps more often.
- The dog may bark, grunt or complain when the ankle is touched or moved.
Part 2 of 2: Treating Sprains
Step 1. Rest your dog
Sprains are best cured with rest. To make sure your dog gets enough rest, you should limit your dog's activities. You should keep the dog in a tight area so the dog cannot run or play. Reduce the dog's activity to a minimum.
- If necessary, walk the dog on a short leash. Don't go too far and go slow. Return the dog to its resting place as soon as possible.
- Limit the dog's activity for a full 48 hours to cure the sprain.
Step 2. Compress with ice
Place a plastic bag filled with ice on the sprained wrist for 10-15 minutes to reduce swelling, pain and speed up the healing process.
- Wrap the ice pack in a towel so the dog's skin doesn't irritate.
- Repeat as many times as needed. Change the compress every two hours. Thus, the skin of the feet does not experience irritation and blood circulation does not decrease.
- You can use a pack of frozen vegetables for compression, such as beans. Thus, the cold temperature can be applied evenly to each damaged tissue in the wrist.
Step 3. Apply a hot compress
If your dog has an injury that doesn't allow the use of an ice pack, apply a hot compress to the injured leg.
- The heat will increase blood circulation and relax and relieve tense muscles.
- Put a damp towel in the microwave to make a hot compress. Make sure the heat is not so high that it burns the skin.
- Compress for 10-15 minutes. Then, let it sit for at least an hour before compressing the wrist again.
- Do not apply hot compresses immediately after the dog has exercised.
Step 4. Watch for signs of healing or the injury is getting worse
You should watch your dog's sprained ankle for 48 hours to see the progress of treatment. Usually, with plenty of rest, sprains can be cured quickly.
- If after 48 hours your dog's wrist has not improved, take him to the vet.
- If you don't see any signs of recovery, your dog may need more rest and medication as prescribed by your veterinarian.
- Sometimes, injuries to other areas can also hinder the recovery of the sprain. If your dog has a more serious injury, such as a dislocation or fracture, take the dog to the doctor for an examination and, if necessary, an X-ray.
Tips
Treat the sprain as soon as possible. Thus, the dog can recover quickly. In addition, this will prevent the injury from getting worse
Warning
- Do not bandage the injured area without a veterinarian's approval. Giving the wrong bandage will cause other problems, such as skin irritation. Blood circulation will be hampered if the bandage is applied too tightly so that the healing process will be slow and other tissues in the wrist will be damaged.
- Do not give medication without the veterinarian's permission. Over-the-counter human drugs can be harmful to dogs. Several anti-inflammatory drugs can be given to dogs, but the dosages are very different.
- If there are no signs of recovery for 48 hours, visit the vet immediately. If your dog's condition seems to be getting worse, take him to the vet immediately. There is a possibility that the injury will get serious and need to be treated by a doctor as soon as possible.
