This is my worst nightmare. My Pomeranian got hit by a car- I am away at school. My parents who know little about dogs are watching him until I am done with finals this month. They took him to the animal er- remarkably he had no external injuries but his poor ribs are broken (the car rolled right over him). The vet x-rayed him and gave him pain killers but did not immobilize his four broken ribs My parents tell me he's not moving and the poor thing goes to the bathroom on himself now b/c can't make it out the door- if they try to move or help him- he bites- (he's never so much as growled at us before this.) The ER vet let my parents take him home right after the x-rays and the pain killers. Is that normal- isn't four broken ribs enough to warrant some sort of cast or a longer stay at the hospital? Should we put ace bandages around his midsection or will that make it worse? Is there anything that can be done other than pain killers? Can he be helped to go to the bathroom?

-- Lesley (lesleymv@hotmail.com), May 05, 2002

Answers

To my knowledge, there is nothing that can be done to a cracked rib. A friend of mine cracked two or three of hers and all the doc. gave her was painkillers too. If the ribs are actualy broken off then maybe they're cutting or poking soft tissue when the dog moves. If this was the case however, I would doubt that the vet would just give pain killers and not offer surgery or uthanasia (sp?) as an option. Find out what kind of breaks the dog has and talk to the vet yourself if your parents can't remember certain details. I'm sorry about the dog. My families cats killed one fo my birds while I was away at school so I know how you feal. Hope things work out OK for you and your dog.

-- Erika (misserika129@hotmail.com), May 05, 2002.

If the ribs were to be truly immobilized, the dog would not be able to breath.

-- Elizabeth (Lividia66@aol.com), May 05, 2002.

Hi Lesley, I'm very sorry to hear about your little dogs accident. To answer your question some docs will stabilize the ribs and some don't. Several months ago when our little 14+yr old dog was having problems and our doc was temp out of the country I used these 2 web sites for great information. I don't know how to put them on here so you can cut and paste but here they are. drboyd@internetvets.com and http://www.vin.com/PetCare The first web site will answer specific questions and give you a lttle more peace of mind. She told us things that took our doc a couple of trys before he hit the right button with Pepper. I don't recommend you putting bandages on unless you have some medical training. It could make things alot worse than they are now. He just needs some quiet time to heal. It will take a few days but he will get better. Just let him do his thing and tell the folks to get some extra paper towels. He should be up and about in a couple of days. I will keep you and the pup in my prayers-- Good luck with your finals.

-- teresa (padsr@centurytel.net), May 05, 2002.

When my SO broke his ribs last year, he was told that they no longer tape the ribs because of the increase in chance of pneumonea(sp?)

-- Sue (sulandherb@aol.com), May 05, 2002.

Nothing more painful than broken ribs. I speak from experience. No they do not immobilize them. They are so painful, at least to humans, that you arn't about to be running around. Most animals know what they need. If he is wandering around and going to the bathroom on his own I would leave him alone. I'm sure he will be okay! Good luck on your finals.

-- Susan in MN (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), May 05, 2002.

Lesley, you've had your question answered, just want to add one thing. Tell your folks to go easy on the pain meds. The more the little guy hurts the easier he'll be on himself. It is not unusual to give dogs NO pain meds at all. Vets will do this just to make the people feel better. You can't tell animals that they need "bed rest". Perhaps your folks can figure out something easier to clean and more disposable for bedding? Pine shavings maybe? Sorry about your dog, it is the pits I know. LQ

-- Little Quacker in OR (carouselxing@juno.com), May 05, 2002.

Hi Lesley,

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. It must be terrible for you being so far away.

No, please don't wrap his ribs. Wraps would restrict his breathing and lead to pneumonia. Even more so since he isn't up and moving around.(That's why you so often hear of old people dying of pneumonia after they become bed-ridden and also why patients are forced to get up and on their feet walking around right after an operation.They often think the nurses are being mean but it's the best thing they can do. So your dog laying there wrapped up and unable to take full breaths would really up the stakes for fluid to collect in his lungs.

Hopefully he will soon start to get on his feet and move around a little. In the mean time maybe your parents could keep something absorbant under him that they can keep changing. Every so often encourage him to try to stand up with a little bit of cheese or dog biscuit as a reward. But let him decide. Do'nt force him. As someone else said animals often know best what they should do.

Let us know how he does.

Pauline in NC ( not a vet but an ex- army medic )

-- Pauline (tworoosters_farm@yahoo.com), May 05, 2002.

Give him the painpills as often as possible until he is uo and moving well .Then start backing off.You want to incourage him to get up as much as possible to keep things going .Probally 2-3 days.He also has alot of bruising which isnt helping .As soon as he is up and about start backing off so there is enough pain to keep him from reinjuring himself.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@hotmail.com), May 05, 2002.

A few years ago one of our horses kicked a gentleman and he broke four of his ribs. He was standing right side to the horse but it was his left side that had the broken ribs. It was the fall that broke them, not the kick - anyway when he went to the hospital they didn't wrap him up either. gave him some painkillers and sent him home, they said they no longer wrap them bec of the increased chance of pnuemonia. Several years ago my friend ran over my basset hound and i took him to the vet. when i saw him again i really thought he should be put down but we brought him home. he had literally been crushed, ran over with a 3/4 ton truck. he also peed on himself and both back legs were in a cast. Within two months, you couldn't tell he had ever been hit. One day he just got up, dragging the casts with him! good luck

-- Don and susan Owen (dsowen@tds.net), May 06, 2002.