Dog Bones and Joints

If your dog has ever climbed into your lap, fallen asleep, then tried to do her best cat impression and knead her way further into your legs, it may have seemed like her entire body was made up of sharp angles and solid bone.

Dogs skeletons serve the same purpose as most animals’ - it provides the basic framework for the body, allows it to run, jump, and play, and acts as a shield for the vital organs.

Different bones are connected by ligament and moved by joints, which are then cushioned by cartilage, a natural shock absorber for the body. Any illness or problem in your pup can be concerning, but bone deficiencies, deformities, and breaks can be difficult to repair and sometimes painful for your baby.

What makes up bones?

If you’ve ever given your dog a beef bone, pig knuckle, or marrow bone, you probably noticed the solid consistency. Bones can be hard as rock, hard enough to break teeth. This might give you the impression that bones are static, unchanging, but we all know that they do change. They grow, and at times that growth can cause pain in both humans and dogs because of their compact make-up. Bones are alive and kicking, complete with nerves and blood vessels. Their tissue is continuously broken down and recomposed, and the marrow (the center) of the bone develops red blood cells for the body.
What do joints do?

Flex your leg up and down. There, that’s what joints do. Joints, in conjunction with the bones and muscles, help the entire skeleton move. Without getting too in-depth, a muscle usually bridges between two joints and contracts to create motion. How strong are my dog’s bones? That depends upon your dog, her age, her health, and her environment.

Getting tired of that answer yet? Well, when it comes to bone or joint strength, those factors can make even more of a difference. Imagine the stress on the bones of a 150-pound dog compared to those of a 15-pound dog. While the larger dog may have been built to compensate a bit for its extra weight, the amount of stress placed on her skeleton can reduce the amount of cushioning fluid in her joints and result in problems. This is especially true during your dog’s developmental stages.

Larger breeds have weaker bones and slower bone growth during their first year of life, and even within breeds the smaller female puppies have stronger skeletons and joints than the larger males. This means that larger pups should be kept from high-impact playtimes until their bones mature, since additional stress on their skeleton can result in deformities later in life.

What if my dog breaks a bone?

Will she get a cast we can all sign with little paw prints? Um, maybe. But you should definitely get her to the vet as soon as possible. If she’s bleeding, apply pressure and try to find sterile gauze or clean cloth to cover the cut.

Try as hard as you can to keep your pooch from moving, which can make the break worse or cause her to lose additional blood. It can be difficult when her little body is wiggling all over, but ask other people in the area for help if necessary. If you don’t have any help for the drive to the vet, use heavy towels to restrain her. Once you get to the vet, he’ll be able to tell you whether your dog has a compound, complete, or simple fracture. A complete fracture causes one or more splits in a bone, while a compound fracture breaks through the dog’s skin and can result in additional infections because the wound is open.

Simple fractures aren’t apparent like compound fractures, but they are more prone to swelling. After X-rays, the vet will repair the split with a number of different possible methods depending upon the severity. If it’s severe, pins, screws, plates, and wires may be used. If you’re lucky and the break is minor, the fracture can probably be repaired with that cute little cast you can sign.