Q: Our old dog, Barrister, broke his leg last month. It was a
small break in the tibia (the vet called it a
”
greenstick fracture
”
) and he has to wear a cast for 8-10 weeks. Our neighbor’s puppy
broke the same bone in his leg last month and also has a cast. But
their vet said his cast would only be on for a few weeks. Why the
difference? What’s a greenstick fracture?
Q: Our old dog, Barrister, broke his leg last month. It was a small break in the tibia (the vet called it a “greenstick fracture”) and he has to wear a cast for 8-10 weeks. Our neighbor’s puppy broke the same bone in his leg last month and also has a cast. But their vet said his cast would only be on for a few weeks. Why the difference? What’s a greenstick fracture?
A: A greenstick fracture is a non-displaced fracture or a fissure line in the shaft where the bone is cracked. The broken fragments aren’t separated. Greensticks usually heal quickly because there’s so little space between the fractured segments so less time is needed to develop a calcified bridge.
Healing time depends on many factors, including the relative age of the patient. Fractured bones heal more quickly in growing puppies because pups already have high levels of calcium in their bloodstream. Their rapid bone growth helps fill in a fracture line and mend the bone more quickly. Older dogs have lower levels of calcium and usually take longer to heal.
Typically, puppies require anywhere from 2-6 weeks to heal from a small fracture. Older dogs may sometimes need as long as 3 months. A lot depends on the relative health of the dog as well as the type of fracture in the bone. At least Barrister didn’t have a more serious break, such as a compound fracture, that would require surgery. That type of injury is usually more painful, takes longer to heal, and is certainly more expensive to treat.
There’s a special event this weekend and if you want a chance to talk pets with me, I’ll be at the Happy Days Car Show this Saturday from 11am ’til 6pm at the San Martin Country Park on Monterey Road. There will be over 70 cars competing in this show as well as good food, live Rock ‘n Roll music, and fun for the kids and family.
I’ll be there with my 1954 VW Bus which has an operating toy train layout from the 1920’s, ’30’s and ’40’s in it. And we’ll have lots of time to chat about cats and dogs. Vintage cars, good food, dancin’ music, and old toy trains. Come by for a visit and let’s have some fun this Saturday. This charity event is a fundraiser for the San Martin Neighborhood Alliance. See you there!
