YOU AND YOUR PET’S CAST
The First Few Days:
It does take some time for your pet to adjust to a cast! At first, he will be constantly aware of it. You should expect him to take life a little more easily and slowly. But, with time, he will become accustomed to the cast and his new physical limitations.
After a time, your pet will perform most of the activities he was doing before the injury. Try to use some caution, however, to ensure that the injury will heal uneventfully.
General Precautions:
1. Follow your veterinarian’s instructions carefully regarding your pet’s activity.
2. Check toes daily. They should not be swollen or cold. Call our office immediately if either problem is noticed.
3. Check the cast for moist spots, foul odors, or pressure sores.
4. Watch your pet for sudden discomfort associated with the leg. This may present itself as an unwillingness to use the limb or chewing the cast.
5. Never stuff cotton or toilet tissue under the margins of the cast, since it may fall into the cast or decrease your pet’s circulation and cause serious medical problems.
6. Never trim or cut down the length of your pet’s cast yourself. Call our office if the cast becomes loose, broken, or cracked.
7. Contact our office if you have any problems with your pet’s cast especially if your pet experiences any of the problems mentioned above.
Cast Care:
One of the advantages of your pet’s fiberglass cast is that it is water-resistant. It is not totally waterproof. If your pet’s cast becomes soiled, you can clean it with a damp cloth and mild soap but use only a small amount of soap and water as it could seep through the cast and cause skin irritation. Keep the cast as clean and dry as possible by covering it with a plastic bag whenever your pet goes outside in wet weather. (Leave uncovered at all other times so the cast and skin can “breathe”).
If your pet’s cast and padding become wet, and dry thoroughly problems will result. To dry a wet cast, use a hair dryer. Drying time is from 30 minutes to two hours, depending on cast construction.
*If you find a rough edge on your pet’s cast, you can reduce it by lightly filing with a nail file or emery board.*
Cast Removal When your pet’s injury has healed, the cast will be removed with a saw or cutting wire that has been specially designed for this purpose. Cast removal is usually a fast and painless process. Back to Normal Your veterinarian will determine how much physical activity is advisable for your pet following the removal of the cast.