What is a sprain?
A sprain is a stretching or breaking of the ligaments that hold the bones together within a joint. There are different degrees of severity of a sprain, ranging from simple stretching of the ligament to partial or complete tearing of the ligament with, sometimes, bone tearing.
In dogs, all the joints of the legs can be sprained so that we can encounter knee sprains (or rupture of the cruciate ligament, the most common in dogs), sprains of the fingers, sprains of the carpus (wrist) or even sprains of the tarsus (ankle).
How does a sprain occur in dogs?
" The occurrence of a sprain in dogs appears under the same conditions as sprains in humans. They occur more frequently in sporting and hunting dogs but also sometimes in less sporty dogs during a less intense effort, when they jump off the sofa or play crazy with congeners, for example."
The sprain of the dog has a traumatic origin. Injury occurs when a limb gets stuck somewhere (paw in a hole, claw stuck in the ground) in one direction and the rest of the body continues to move in another direction.
What are the signs of a sprain in dogs?
When the dog hurts himself, he feels a sharp pain that he can express by a cry. However, the precise moment when the sprain occurs can go completely unnoticed by the owner.This is particularly the case during a “simple” ligament elongation. A sporty dog caught in the heat of the moment and in the excitement of the moment can perfectly continue his race after having stumbled, without expressing his pain. However, when the excitement subsides, her pain and discomfort will manifest as a limp in the affected limb.
A sprain, regardless of its degree of severity, is indeed manifested by a permanent lameness of the limb concerned, cold or hot. This lameness appears suddenly following the trauma. It can be accompanied by a hot and painful swelling of the affected joint. It is therefore appropriate to consult your veterinarian without delay in order to set up an appropriate treatment. Depending on the severity of the sprain, treatment can range from simple immobilization of the joint with a splint to surgery.
Note carefully!
A lameness in a dog does not necessarily mean that he has a sprain. There are many other causes of lameness in dogs! Only your veterinarian can determine the cause during a consultation.
Dog sprain: how to relieve your pet?
While waiting for the consultation with the veterinarian, you can relieve your dog's pain by:
- applying an ice pack to your pet's injured limb for 15-20 minutes every 2-3 hours for the first 24 hours after the trauma. The cold will limit inflammation and pain through its vasoconstrictor effect. Do not apply the ice directly to your dog's skin at the risk of burning it, but place ice cubes in a closed freezer bag that you will place in another bag containing a little cold water before closing it in turn. You can also use a bag of gel in its cover or a bag of frozen peas to relieve your pet.
- avoiding walking your dog and putting him on forced rest. Limit his outings to hygienic outings and keep your dog on a short leash,
- giving her 2 homeopathic granules of arnica 5CH every quarter of an hour then every half hour until her pain subsides a little,
- applying a drop of peppermint essential oil to the sore area (if there is no open wound only).
Don't!
Never give human pain medication to your dog. Aspirin, ibuprofen and paracetamol are toxic for him!