222 CANINE MEDICINE AND SURGERY 



Fractures 



Fractures are termed simple when there is no ex- 

 ternal wound; compound, when the broken ends of 

 the bone protrude through the skin ; comminuted, 

 when the bone is shattered into fragments ; and com- 

 plicated, when serious damage has been done to 

 neighboring tissues, organs, vessels, or nerves. 

 Greenstick fracture is the term applied to the bend- 

 ing and only partial fractures seen in young animals 

 whose bones are more or less plastic. The symp- 

 toms of a fracture are pain, inability to support 

 weight, and crepitus. 



Reduction. — Besides being more humane, it ren- 

 ders the necessary manipulations simple and more 

 effectual to reduce a fracture under the influence of 

 a general anesthetic. An additional advantage of 

 anesthetization, especially where H-M-C is used, is 

 that the casts used to retain the fracture have time 

 to harden before the patient comes out of the anes- 

 thetic. Reduction is effected, and the ends of bone 

 brought into apposition, by grasping the limb firmly 

 with one hand, above the fracture, and bringing the 

 lower portion into position with the other hand. 

 The limb should then be bandaged, starting at and 

 including the foot. The bandage is to prevent chaf- 

 ing and swelling from unequally divided pressure. 

 A plaster of Paris bandage should now be rolled on 

 the whole length of the limb, about three thicknesses 

 being applied. The limb should be^ held straight 

 until the cast dries, or a splint of cardboard, bass- 

 wood, or poroplastic felt applied and bandaged on, 

 and left there until the cast is hard. 



With a compound fracture, the Wound must first 

 be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, the fracture 

 reduced, and a cast applied as in simple fracture, 

 but a window must be left for access to and dress- 



