My puppy walks flat-footed after splint removal. Is it normal?

It could be that the ligament is simply weak because Journey hasn't been using that leg for the past six weeks. Given that it's only been one day since the splint has been taken off, it will take time for the muscles and ligaments in her leg to strengthen back up. I would continue to monitor Journey for now, and hopefully she will begin to use the leg better over time. Should she still have issues with it in another week, or she starts limping or stops using the leg, then I would have her seen by a vet.

Yes he should make a full recovery from that injury. It is not a weight bearing surface since it has the other toes to help. Once a callus is formed and the splint is able to come off, then he will limp while he gets range of motion back in the foot, then will walk normal

Poor girl. : ( It sounds like she is tweaking it a bit when she tries to do extrenuous exercise, which is expected, especially since she still has hardware in place in the leg. Her muscles also can grow tired quicker and become inflamed, which can cause some limping after increased movement. This sounds pretty normal at this stage in the healing process. However, if you are noticing any excessive swelling around the area, drainage or signs of infection, then she should be seen by your vet. Otherwise, follow-up your vet as scheduled to check on things and hopefully the leg is healing well via the post surgery x-rays that they will take. I hope that Olly's leg heals well. Best wishes and take care.

Unfortunately splints often fail to repair the fracture perfectly and many cats will remain with a slightly deformed leg, this could resolve with time but it could also stay this way for life, only time will tell. ideally you should take him to your vet in order to have an xray done and this way your vet will be able to see if it healed properly or not.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Generally speaking, young animals heal very fast, especially if the fracture is properly aligned. Six to eight weeks is the average time that we see properly aligned fractures in young animals heal. Sometimes even four to six weeks. I am sorry to hear that you have been affected by the hurricane. If the splint has been on for 6 weeks already, I do start getting concerned about bandage sores and confining the lake for so long without rechecking the leg and changing the splint if needed. The downside with taking the splint off yourself and not doing follow-up x-rays is that the fracture may still be unstable and as soon as that splint comes off, the leg may break again. If finances are a concern I would suggest applying for Care Credit to see if you qualify because you can use Care Credit to pay for veterinary expenses and make payments on a payment plan. If you do not qualify for Care Credit I would suggest checking with the Humane Society to see if someone can check the splint for you. If you are unable to do any of these, and I would suggest waiting one more week with the splint on as long as there are no signs of discomfort with the leg and no signs of sores developing near the edge of the splint where it is taped to the skin. After the additional week of leaving the splint on, you may then remove the splint carefully. I would strongly urge that you cage confine Jackson for an additional one to two weeks following removal of the splint. You still risk read breaking the leg if the fracture site has not healed and without follow-up x-rays there is no way to fully determine how much of the fracture has healed. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns about Jackson. I am also available by phone or text based consultation if needed.

It's not normal but some dogs won't bear weight on the leg that they remember being hurt. Some dogs actually need some physical therapy in order to use the leg again. I recommend to speak with your veterinarian about next steps and how to get Nico to use his leg again. I would also prevent any excessive licking by having him wear an elizabethan collar. The leg may be itchy and my need a bath (don't do this however without the OK from your vet). I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ivy. If she walks with her paw up (ie not using it), this indicates that she is still painful. It worries me that she is still displaying this behavior (even if it is improved) several weeks after the incident. I recommend that she shees her veterinarian. She may need some anti-inflammatory pain medication to eliminate residual inflammation from a muscle strain. She also may need x-rays to ensure that there is not a bone or joint problem. In the meantime, keep her as quiet as possible to allow her body to rest. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!