Broken leg - please reassure me :-(

[Bool]

Got a new puppy who is now 7 months old. I and the kids adore him. Just adore him. I am working from home so he is my constant companion. Today one of the neighbours wanted to take him for a walk with his teenage daughter. They love him too. When he was out he was running with the daughter (she is about 17) and they entangled legs and my dogs leg broke. He is at the vet - had an x ray and it is broken right through both bones. Right front leg. He will stay there tonight on opiate painkillers and will see the surgeon tomorrow. Please reassure me he will be ok. It’s my first dog and I love him to pieces. Can’t stop bursting into tears. Feel so silly. Do you think they will operate tomorrow? How quickly will they prioritise it? He needs it pinning. He sees the surgeon tomorrow for an assessment. When will he be home? How long to mend etc. Thanks x

My Bearded Collie broke his leg although he was probably about 3 at the time. He recovered well but I wasn't insured and that was an expensive lesson. Otherwise he was fine.

I am also suffering such guilt for letting the neighbours take him for a walk. The father and daughters desperately want a dog but mother wont let them - so they kept asking to take ours for a walk. Put me in quite a difficult position because it’s difficult to say no when they come to your door wanting to take him out. Now of course I feel so guilty and think why didn’t I say no - but that’s hindsight and honestly was a difficult position.

Another idea that we found worked well when our little pup had his luxating patella fixed. He was on 6 weeks bed rest but not crate trained and didn’t tolerate the crate at all. Excuse the rubbish pic, it was on a 2013 phone 🙈

I was a mess when he went in and slightly overwhelmed with the recovery plan but overall it was honestly fine, and we had another dog at the time too. He settled well in the pen and it was just big enough for me to sit in with him and cuddle.

Wishing a speeding recovery for your pup

@RiseUpWiseUpEyesUp ahhhh thanks!!! I was actually lying awake thinking exactly this and was going to ask the vet later today. I have one of those metal pens that has barely been used and I was wondering if I could put his crate within it. My only worry was he would push it round the kitchen but I can see how you have cleverly wedged it with a rug underneath! Clever. Am going to ask today but love the idea of being able to lie next to him in that.

Don't blame yourself- it sounds like a freak accident.

The pen looks like a great idea, if you've space for it.

Sounds like a complete freak accident, I bet the daughter is feeling awful!

Hope he’s doing well today OP

I was coming on to say the same as RiseUpWise as we did the same after our girl had her cruciate op. When she was allowed to move about more freely we then put the cage in front of the couch so she could not jump up. In the evening we put the couch cushions on the floor and we all sat together what we do for our dogs.

So he’s back home and had a good first night. He wanted a lot of cuddles last night as he has some post op anxiety but he settled in his crate with no fuss and slept 10pm - 5am which is great. Then a whimper and out for the toilet and a quick cuddle and now he is back in his crate quiet in the kitchen. Not a peep. He is eating well but obviously slow and weak. I asked the vet about the pen but the issue is he is only allowed 5 x 5 mins walks per day for the whole 6 weeks (he broke both bones in front right leg clean) so we really do need to keep him confined in crate and only out for his walks and/or very closely supervised cuddles on the floor only. So yes @doodleygirl it’s sitting on the floor time for all of us! An orthopaedic mattress arrives tomorrow for his crate so make it more comfy. He has his lickimat and more puzzles arrive tomorrow. Thanks for all the suggestions. I keep thinking now every day is one day less pain and healing.

@RunningFromInsanity yes the daughter is feeling awful. I have reassured her and she will come and visit him soon. I want him a bit more relaxed and settled first as he gets so excited seeing people and he needs to stay still and calm. No sudden movements!

Glad he's doing well - you're planning everything very sensibly. 6 weeks sounds like a long time but it will pass - he'll be out before Xmas if you stick to the regime.
for you.

I know this is an old thread, but if you are still on here @Bool, how did it go? Our puppy has just come home from surgery after breaking his front leg. Any tips would be very appreciated. We have crate rest for 6 weeks and the same 5x5min toilet breaks as you did. I'm worried how we will keep him from going crazy - he was so active before!

@LoisLanyard ahhh thanks for reaching out. So it seems like a distant memory now. He has completely recovered and you wouldn’t even know he had broken it. He is back to his crazy self again. So yes it will be a difficult 6 weeks. He was crate rest for that time too. But honestly we didn’t keep him in the crate all the time because just felt so cruel. But we did keep him supervised and on a short lead at all times and were very very vigilant. We managed to stop him jumping up somehow by just being next to him the whole time unless he was in his crate. It is overwhelming at first but you will get through it. He had an x ray at 6 weeks and only two of the corners of bone had healed. But the next x ray 4 weeks later and all 4 were healed. We had to keep the collar on the whole time because of not he would lick the wound and pick at the stitches. He took some antibiotic cream for the wound in the end because it was itchy and red. How did your dog break it’s leg and is it competely broken the whole way through. Ours was completely broken. Both radius and ulna. Good luck and sending love.

Yes do look after the wound and don’t let it be picked or licked. As I said we for some antibiotic cream for it at 6 weeks because he wouldn’t leave it alone even then. That did the job. We also had a count down on a white board of the 42 days. So we kept a running countdown. It is tough and you need to be really careful. But they get better. Ah I also bought some calcium dog supplements that he took daily. For bone repair. And then also some biotin powder for his food for hair regrowth. As I said he is now fully recovered and racing around like a crazy thing again.

Thank you for replying! He fractured his elbow by running into a door - I still have no idea how something so seemingly minor could do that, but the vet said it is a relatively common break. Still feel awful about it but take solice in knowing it was just a freak accident. I’m glad your pup has fully healed. It seems like a long road, but I suppose I’m one day down, only 41 days to go...

Thanks for the tips esp antibiotic cream - he is already trying to scratch his stitches - at least the cone is stopping him licking them. I’ll keep a close eye on it.

@LoisLanyard yes you are now on a 42 day countdown! It’s hard but every day you get through without them jumping or scratching the wound is a bonus. The collar is awful but we kept it on for 8 weeks in the end. It is horrid for them but better than the alternative - scratching the wound and causing more long lasting damage. It tough but it will be over soon. Good luck and let me know progress

Oh and please don’t blame yourself. Accidents just do happen. Nobody wants them. Take care and come back for an update !

Thanks. I am finding it really hard, and I'm really worried about how i'm going to manage working from home and looking after her. My DH is around too, so it wont just be me, but we have jobs where it is really hard to take time off at short notice. I am very stressed - does anyone have any tips for at least mentally making yourself feel better?!?

An update in case anyone is reading! I am feeling much better than yesterday, my Aunt is helping for a few hours during the day and work is supportive. Phew!