373 The Management and Diseases- of the Dog. 



hot water and moulded to the limb. Bandages take the 

 place of splints when soaked in gum, stirch, or plaster of 

 Paris. 



With regard to fracture of the long bones of the limbs, I 

 have found no application equal to the wooden splint. We 

 will suppose a case of fractured ulna or radius. The fractured 

 edges being reduced to their relative position, and the limb 

 held firmly in a straight line downwards, the splints, cut the 

 length required (I always take them below the knee-joint 

 to the foot), are applied as follows : one in front, one behind, 

 and one on either side. The surface is smeared with pitch 

 to maintain them better in position. A little pad of tow or 

 cotton wool should be placed under the ends of the splints, 

 to prevent: irritation and wounds. Being thus satisfactorily 

 arranged, a narrow bandage of calico is wound round, 

 moderately tight, from end to end, smeared occasionally in 

 its course with pitch. This done, the patient should be 

 conveyed to where he is to remain : arid to prevent risk,. it 

 is better to place a wire muzzle on for the first few days, or 

 at all events until the parts have become firm. 



The same treatment will apply to comminuted fracture. 



A black retriever dog was brought to me, suffering from 

 double fracture of the femur, the fractures being some dis- 

 tance apart ; a bull and mastiff, aged, with fracture of the, 

 femur in three distinct places. Both were treated with 

 splint-setting, and recovered perfectly, without any defor- 

 mity or perceptible thickening, except on manipulation. 



Fracture of a toe bone is an accident not uncommon to 

 greyhounds when coursing, and is usually produced at the 

 instant of making a sharp turn. Such fractures are easily 

 set, but if not dealt with early they may be of serious 

 moment to the animal and the interests of his owner. 



I usually apply lateral adhesive splints to the broken toe, 

 and then spread the foot on a broad splint extending a 

 little beyond the claws. The whole is then bandaged up, 

 and the patient kept perfectly quiet for at least a fortnight 



