Broken leg in puppy?

Dr. Marie replied:

Sorry to hear that your puppy may be having problems.

It really is not possible for me to say whether this is fractured without seeing Shasta. Here are some criteria you can use though to see if you need to have an emergency visit:

-Will she let you feel every single bone and joint? If there is a particular area that is very painful or that you feel cracking in then there may be a fracture.

-Give her 10-15 minutes to see if things improve. I have seen many puppies that will scream like crazy and make you think they have a broken leg but after 10-15 minutes they are totally back to normal.

-Are the puppies gums pink or white? If they are very pale or white then this could be a sign of shock which often occurs with a fracture.

In all cases, I usually recommend that if your gut is telling you that something is wrong then she needs to see the vet. What you have described about her falling down and crying when she tries to put weight on the leg does have me concerned that this could be something serious.

I hope she does ok!

Dr. Marie.

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