Dislocations occur occasionally in dogs, usually as a result of a car accident. The commonest joint to become dislocated is the hip joint, although in the sporting breeds, especially greyhounds, dislocation of a toe joint is not unusual.

It is generally necessary to have an X-ray examination to verify that there is a dislocation, and that there is no fracture as well. Replacement of the dislocated joint should be done by a veterinary surgeon as soon as possible after the injury, otherwise the blood clot which forms in the injured joint becomes firm, and the dislocated bone difficult to replace.

First-aid measures should be confined to keeping the injured limb, which the animal will “carry”, in as near a natural position as possible. With nervous dogs, a sedative  can be given, and if this has been done inform the veterinary surgeon who attends the animal.

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 5th, 2009 at 12:25 am and is filed under Dog Care. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.