Now that your pet has had a splint placed, it is important to make sure that proper care is taken at home. To do so, please follow the instructions below:
*Minimal activity is important.
-limiting your pet's activity helps prevent the splint from slipping and it helps prevent further injury. It's important to remember that even with the splint on your pet may still have discomfort and should take things slowly.
*Make sure to keep the splint dry and clean at all times.
-if it gets dirty or wet is it very important that you notify us right away so we can get you scheduled to look at it and potentially change it. (Dirty/wet splints can lead to serious infection)
-To help prevent the splint from getting wet or dirty, the splint should be covered if your pet goes outside in wet conditions. You may use a recycled iv bag provided by the hospital or press n seal cling wrap which works really well.
-It may also be necessary to keep an e-collar on your pet to prevent him/her from licking as the moisture is enough to cause an issue.
*Make sure to do splint changes/rechecks as directed by doctor.
-splints will typically be rechecked +/- re-splinted every 10 days. Splint replacement may require sedation to help keep pet still and less anxious.
*X-rays are typically done 8-12 weeks post splint placement to monitor the healing process, but may need to be done more than once at doctor's discretion.
- X-rays monitor the healing process and are a necessary tool for measuring the time frame of a patient's splint.
If you have any questions or concerns do not hesitate to give us a call.