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Broken leg

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Orang

Orang

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Gibson has managed to break her left hind leg in the femur half-way between the hip and knee.

I found her yesterday with her leg trapped between the hay rack and back panel of their cage. There were a couple of cats in the garden which I think spooked them and she got stuck trying to hide. Until this happened I didn't even realise that they could climb up and fit between the bars on the rack. It's now gone in the bin.

She spent the night at the vets. They kept Fender as well to keep her company. They x-rayed her first thing this morning and confirmed quite a nasty multiple fracture. I've just collected them both. Fortunately there was no suggestion of amputation or euthanasia which I'm very glad about. The vet did say that she wasn't keen on operating to pin the leg because of where it is and because Gibson is still young and small.

I've put a mesh panel in the hutch so that she is in quite a confined space along with water, food, a big pile of hay and her favourite cosy which she has curled herself up in.

She appears to be eating, peeing and pooing normally at the moment, and the vet said she was fine overnight.

I don't know if it's normal for piggies but despite (I assume) being in pain she is sometimes using the leg, and doesn't show any distress if you pick her up and move the leg. Not even a squeak. She either tucks the leg right up into the hip or extends it out behind her almost as if she's trying to relieve cramp.

I've been given Metacam to give to her starting tomorrow morning. The vet has already given her enough for today.

The vet didn't seem to have much idea about healing times and when I asked about taking her back in 2 to 4 weeks for another x-ray to see if the leg is fixing okay she said only to take her back if she stops eating, peeing or pooing, has diarrhoea, or if she's obviously in more pain.

Does anybody else have experience of broken legs in piggies? Is there anything else I should be aware of or look out for?
 
Awwww poor little thing :(

Theyre so hardy these little creatures arent they, but in other ways so delicate too.

I hope it heals ok x
 
I've had a couple of pigs with broken bones come in - the panic over vet fees usually is the cause. A small cage, painrelief and food and water within easy reach is about the only non surgical way to deal with it. You are looking at weeks rather than months before it heals. Hopefully as she is young and still light the fracture will stabilise quickly. In addition to the signs your vet gave to watch for heat in a fracture can be the sign of infection setting in so do watch for that too.

HTH

Suzy x
 
The younger she is, the better it will heal.

I'd imagine it will probably heal ok, as long as she is kept in a very confined space, even if it seems cruel, it's only for a few weeks really.
 
Suzygpr said:
I've had a couple of pigs with broken bones come in - the panic over vet fees usually is the cause. A small cage, painrelief and food and water within easy reach is about the only non surgical way to deal with it. You are looking at weeks rather than months before it heals. Hopefully as she is young and still light the fracture will stabilise quickly. In addition to the signs your vet gave to watch for heat in a fracture can be the sign of infection setting in so do watch for that too.

HTH

Suzy x
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reminder about heat in the fracture that had slipped my mind.
 
CiaraPatricia said:
The younger she is, the better it will heal.

I'd imagine it will probably heal ok, as long as she is kept in a very confined space, even if it seems cruel, it's only for a few weeks really.
Click to expand...

How confined is very confined? She's currently in an area about 2 foot long from front to back of the cage by 1 foot wide, everything except the water bottle is within 2 steps of her cozy. The water bottle is attached to the door of the cage. Would it be better to divide this down to 1 foot square with more mesh so she is always closer to the front of the cage?
 
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As long as everything is within easy reach 2x1 will be fine for the time being. A fleecey blanket for her to lay on will help as you will be able to lift her on it when she needs her meds, and it can be changed if she soils it.

Suzy x
 
Whee are really sorry to hear that Gibson has broken her leg :(

LOTS OF HEALING WHEEEEEEEEKS AND LOVES FROM US ALL XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
Suzygpr said:
As long as everything is within easy reach 2x1 will be fine for the time being. A fleecey blanket for her to lay on will help as you will be able to lift her on it when she needs her meds, and it can be changed if she soils it.

Suzy x
Click to expand...

They live on fleece and towels anyway. I can pick her up in her cosy at the moment will come up with something else when that gets washed.

She took the metacam without any fuss this morning and then got stuck into her breakfast veggies like she hadn't been fed in a week so it's looking okay at the moment.
 
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