Broken Bones: What to do when the worst happens

David E Anderson, D.V.M., MS, Diplomate ACVS
College of Veterinary Medicine
The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Fractures are some of the most devastating injuries that an Alpaca owner can endure. When your beloved animal is badly injured it is difficult to know what to do. Often, fracture victims should not be moved until the limb can be stabilized because the ends of the bone can damage vital structures including arteries, veins, and nerves. I have seen animals nearly bleed to death after fracturing a limb and then thrashing in distress.

The first thing to do is to keep the patient calm. Then, get help. If the Alpaca is calm where ever you find her/him, you may want to leave them there until help arrives. After your veterinarian has examined the patient, they will decide if a splint or cast is indicated, or if you need to seek a more sophisticated form of stabilization such as a bone plate. If there is active bleeding from the wound, you may place a pressure bandage over the wound, but be careful not to excite the patient into doing something foolish!

In general, injuries to the growth plates of the lowest bone in the limbs (phalanges, metacarpus, metatarsus) can be treated using a cast. If the wound is open, then extensive wound care and antibiotics are indicated. I often place an external skeletal fixator on the bones if an open wound is present so that I can gain easy access to the wound for daily care. Injuries to the upper portion of the limb (tibia, radius, femur, humerus) often require the use of pins, screws, or plates. Again, the treatment chosen is based on whether there is an open wound and the expectation of infection.