If your dog appears to be okay to walk or move without a splint, it may not be necessary to make one. But, if his injury is pretty bad, the splint will support the bone and minimize any further damage en route to a vet clinic.
If your dog is too large for you to carry on your own, get a passerby to help you lift him to safety. As a last resort, you can encourage your dog to stand and limp to a safe area. [1] X Research source
For example, if your dog has a shin bone fracture, the shin bone may bend or bow when it should be straight, or the bone may angle in the wrong direction, such as pointing outwards when it should rest parallel to your dog’s body.
You can also get your neighbor to help you watch him to make sure he does not put weight on his damaged leg.
Get four to five rolls of cotton padding bandage (such as Soffban) and four to five rolls of cotton bandage. [4] X Research source A roll of zinc oxide tape. A roll of crepe bandage (preferably a self-adhesive bandage such as Co-flex). A roll of adhesive bandage (such as Elastoplast). A splint. You want a splint that is a similar width and as long as the injured limb bone. A ruler or a wooden spatula can be acceptable splints in a pinch. Scissors to cut the bandage material.
Pinning down your dog’s head and holding his leg will stop him from getting up.
If bleeding is severe, apply direct pressure to the wound using a clean towel or gauze for 3-5 minutes. Repeat if necessary, and call the veterinarian immediately if you cannot get the bleeding to stop on your own. If there’s no excessive bleeding or you’re able to stop it, you can flush out the wound with a saline solution made of 2 tsp sea salt and 1 cup (250 ml) warm water. If you have a dog-specific antibiotic solution or cream, you can apply that afterward. Lightly dry the area by patting it with a clean towel.
Avoid stretching the tape because this could restrict the blood circulation to your dog’s leg. If you do not have access to sterile swabs, use a piece of clean linen or cotton to cover the wound; a clean handkerchief would work just fine. Choose a material that is not fluffy and will not leave fibers in the wound. Do not use wool or fleece.
Remove the wrapper from the sterile Soffban. If you are right-handed, hold the roll in your right hand with the tongue rolling down and under the roll, and facing away from you. Start at the toes, and rest the tongue of the roll over the top of your dog’s paw. Hold it in place with the left hand and then wind the Soffban around the limb in a circular motion, with each wrap overlapping the previous by half the width of the Soffban. [8] X Research source Apply a little bit of tension to the Soffban as you wind, so that it stretches slightly but does not tear. Soffban will not cut off circulation on the limb because the fibers part and the bandage shears before that amount of tension can be applied. Continue winding the Soffban until you have encased the limb. Tear off the Soffban and tuck the free end under the previous wrap to secure it. If you do not have access to medical supplies like Soffban, you can use regular cotton wool to form a soft layer around the leg, or cut a T-shirt into strips and wrap them around your dog’s leg. [9] X Research source
If you don’t have access to zinc oxide tape, improvise with what you have on hand. Zinc oxide tape is a fabric tape with adhesive, so you could use alternatives like sticky tape, duct tape, or even shoelaces tied around the splint and leg to secure it in place. The goal is to anchor the splint against the leg so it is comfortable for your dog. [11] X Research source
Repeat this for approximately three layers. Applying further layers of padding and bandage helps to hold the splint in place and further immobilizes any fractures.
Co-flex is stretchy so if it is applied in its stretched state, it will contract on the damaged limb and impair the limb’s blood circulation. Always release the tension on the roll as you bandage so the Co-flex is unstretched as you wrap it around your dog’s leg. If you do not have access to Co-flex, don’t worry about this step. The bandage will be fine without an outer layer in the short term (about a day), while you take your dog to the vet. The outer layer will help to keep the inner layers clean, which becomes more of a priority if the dressing has to stay in place for several days.
Cut a length of Elastoplast that is long enough to pass twice around the top of the dressing. Overlap the width so that half overlaps the dressing and the other half overlaps the fur on your dog’s leg. Then, wind the Elastoplast around like a garter.
