My dog has a pelvic fracture. How can I help her stand to potty?

Hello. I am so sorry about Ponpon's injuries. Without seeing an x-ray, I can only surmise that the fractures are to the pelvic bones. It is very difficult to try & surgically repair the fractured pieces & especially in such a young pup, we often just leave them to heal on their own. It usually takes 4-6 weeks for complete healing, but Ponpon may be up & walking sooner. It is important to restrict his activity. He should stay in one area, preferably a large enough crate that gives him the room to stand, turn around & stretch out comfortably. He should only be walked on a leash & use a towel or hip lift support harness to assist him. With time, hopefully he will make a full recovery. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Muneca is limping. Based off the radiograph, it looks like her fibula, the smaller bone in her lower leg, may be fractured. It is difficult to know for sure without an orthogonal view, but that may be the reason for her limping. I recommend restricting her activity to cage rest and leash walks only, do not let her run or play for at least 4 weeks to allow time for the bone to heal. I recommend having her evaluated by a veterinarian who can perform bloodwork and see if it is safe to prescribe her anti-inflammatory pain medications to help her feel more comfortable. NEVER give human pain medications to dogs as they can be markedly toxic. I hope this is helpful!

I am having a little trouble determine what is going on in the elbows. It looks like they are both fractured if these are pictures of different legs. The pelvis is also fractured. Treatment options would depend on the current condition of the pet and the cause for the injuries. Pelvic fractures often heal with strict cage rest for 1-2 months. The fracture of the elbow appears to have affected the joint, and it likely needs surgery to fix or amputation of the leg. If it is in both legs, surgery to fix the fractures is the best option.

The rear leg braces are not useful. If she needs assistance getting up I recommend a Help em Up harness by Blue Dog designs. Taking Lucy to a Rehab veterinarian would be good if there is one near you. They can give you exercises to do at home and they may offer hydrotherapy and other treatments that can improve her comfort and mobility. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Lucy.

Unfortunately the x-rays isn't attached to this question, so I can't fully answer your question. Typically, however, I will agree with the vet's assessment because they are the one who can see Floofer in person and make the best and most accurate assessment. Since a fracture pelvis can heal naturally, a vet will recommend trying that if they feel it's a viable treatment option. In this case, if the vet is recommended surgery, then likely a natural healing is not possible. Leaving it without surgery in this case could cause the pelvis to heal incorrectly, it may not be possible depending on the severity and place of the fracture in the pelvis (certain fractures in the pelvis cannot heal naturally and require surgery), and/or leaving it to heal naturally could cause damage to the nerves affecting his ability to walk correctly. If you'd like me or another expert to see the x-ray, please feel free to post again with the x-ray attached. Otherwise, you can take Floofer to see another vet for a second opinion. I hope this helps!

Poor Filamena! I am sure this is a stressful experience for you and her. I am glad she has good pain medication support. Tramadol has a wide dose range and dosing frequency range so if you feel like her current level of pain is not well-managed on the current dose or dosing interval this may be able to be adjusted with a call to her doctor. Also if you feel like she is still painful with these medications your veterinarian could recommend adding on something else in the short-term. Additionally Huskies are a very sensitive breed so she may be feeling a little bit anxious as well so you may be able to discuss a mild sedative with your veterinarian to see if this helps her rest and remain relaxed in this short-term period. It's also possible if this just happened today that she may be having some side effects from any pain medications given at the clinic which should be better over the next 24 hours. Also make sure her splint is comfortable and not causing any toe swelling that might indicate it is too tight and uncomfortable for her. I know it is hard to watch your fur baby be in pain but don't worry she will be feeling much better soon. I hope this helps and thank you for using Pet coach!

If he’s over 65 lbs normally then I would purchase a large Help em Up harness. It’s fully adjustable and you should be able to fit him from the directions they send. When you have him standing, place the legs and paws in the normal position and try to have him hold up some of his weight. With the help em Up harness the rear part will have a strap underneath and that needs to be adjusted so it’s behind his penis. That way you can support him when peeing and pooping so he will stay cleaner and relearn how to go himself outside. You are doing a good job if you are able to encourage him to walk a little. Sitting to standing will build up his rear legs so he can get strong enough to push himself up again. He is older but with pain medication and your physical therapy exercises hopefully he’ll be able to rise on his own and walk again. He’s been laying around for a while now so it make take several weeks for him to improve. Thanks again for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.