Fractures] 122 [Fractures 



or more of these bones may be broken at a 

 time. 



Treatment : With the fingers bring*- the broken 

 ends of bones together, and in the case of the 

 fore leg apply a thin wood splint to the front of 

 the leg, from just above the toes to an inch or 

 more above the knee, according to the size of the 

 dog. The splint should be made of thin wood, 

 the same as is put to the back of pictures, and 

 the part coming next to the leg should be padded 

 with a thick layer of wool which is best kept in 

 its place by winding a piece of bandage round it. 

 In cases of fracture of the metatarsal bones, the 

 splint should be taken from the foot to the point 

 of the back of the hock. In either case, the splint 

 must be kept in its place by the application of a 

 thin bandage, wound several times round the leg, 

 commencing (always) from the foot and working 

 it upwards and then downwards several times. 



In treating fractures, it is important to get 

 them set and bandaged before the parts have 

 had time to swell, otherwise in a few days when 

 the swelling has disappeared, the bandage will be 

 found loose and perhaps come off, necessitating 

 resetting and bandaging. When the setting 

 has been properly carried out, there is no 

 occasion to remove the bandages in cases of 

 simple fracture, at any rate for a month ; but if 

 the splints have not been properly padded, they 

 may rub the prominent parts of the joints or 

 bones, causing bad wounds. When such is 

 occurring, the dog is restless, and shows un- 

 mistakable signs of discomfort by constantly 



