A cat is more likely to dislocate, rather than break, bones. Broken bones are, however, quite common in dogs and are usually due to car accidents, road incidents (like falling from a car or trailer), falling from a height, rough play or exercise or old age.
Broken or dislocated bones can also occur from;
- Infections in the bone
- Diet (an excess of phosphorus or Vitamin A, insufficient calcium)
- Misaligned bones
- Genetics
Signs of broken bones:
- Extreme swelling of leg
- Reluctance or inability to walk
- Breaking or crushing sounds
- Obvious bone exposure
The first step is the vet!
Diet to heal
Diet is important to consider when an animal is healing. I recommend that you place your dog on a diet of raw meat and bones i.e. beef/mutton bones with meat on them or raw chicken necks and wings, mince; definitely no processed food and snacks. You can also add some freshly cooked vegetables and rice. If your dog is not already on this type of diet, then I suggest that you introduce it slowly.
McDowells recommendations
I recommend that you start your dog immediately on thethe Bone Repair Mix and millet and linseed.
Once the cast is off, if you can source elecampane leaves or roots, mash them in a blender mix with linseed oil and apply them as a poultice to the broken leg wrapped in cloth. Once it falls off repeat the process. Elecampane stimulates the soft and hard tissues to replicate themselves to normal, strong, healthy tissue (not to be used on an infected wound).