I have a six month old doe fawn that injured her back leg when i ran her thru the chute two weeks ago to vacinate and worm. She couldn't extend her hoof at the bottom joint enough and when she would put weight on it, it would roll under. It was getting better and i thought it was going to heal itself. Well now its worse and she is starting to walk more on the joint. I want to brace it but am not sure about bracing over a joint. does anyone have any experience with this?
doe fawn with ankle trouble
- Thread starter ER Whitetails
- Start date
Not sure about your splint over the joint question, but I did find out that cutting a piece of PVC pipe lengthwise makes an excellent splint. Sturdy and waterproof. If you have a ban saw or table saw, cutting the pipe is pretty easy. I even sanded down the sharp edges and corners on mine.
Joined Apr 2009
2,617 Posts | 0+
Edgar, WI
I don't know what your specific issue is with the fawn, but I have had success fixing an ankle that would bend over at the joint. Once it happened with an adult buck who after he woke up from the tranq had his front hoof doing that. The vet figured a pinched nerve of sorts. To help with swelling he figured steroids would help.
I gave 2 steroid shots in the front shoulder like 3 days apart I think it was.
You can ask your vet if they think your issue might be helped by it.
Good luck.
I gave 2 steroid shots in the front shoulder like 3 days apart I think it was.
You can ask your vet if they think your issue might be helped by it.
Good luck.
Joined Apr 2009
2,617 Posts | 0+
Edgar, WI
ANTLER VALLEY said:
Phillip did you line the pipe with gauze to help with any possible rubbing or was the inside of the pipe so smooth it wasn't needed? Just wondering for everyone readings benefit. Great idea you had.
IndependenceRanch said:
Roger-I wrapped the leg with a few layers of gauze, then put the two halves of the pipe on and continued wrapping. Then I taped it to keep the doe from pulling the gauze off.
Joined Apr 2009
2,617 Posts | 0+
Edgar, WI
Line the pipe well with cotton inside and out (available on a roll), then gauze, then use some white tape (not too much) to hold it together, then vet tape all along the outsiide of the splint. Try not to tape (with white tape or other) the joint b/c it will inevitably swell and you can cut off circulation very easily (happened to my doe when the DVM did the first splint (which immediately failed b/c I felt that her skin under her hoof was cold and not getting circulation).
You can also consult your DVM and he can give you a pre-molded splint that they use to splint large dogs which is better than using a PVC pipe. Banamine is good to decrease swelling, but please talk to a DVM first b4 administering any drug.
You should see the fawn bearing weight on the splint almost immediately if it is well done. My doe improved within 2 weeks significantly, and at 3 wks, I removed her splint. She had pressure sores all up and down her leg which I treated with Excede and a topical debriding agent (i.e., Granulex). Excede is a long-lasting antibiotic that works well on skin infections. Most deer DVMs use it for treating deer b/c of it's long-lasting effect.
A great DVM on this forum that you can consult is [email protected]
all the best.
You can also consult your DVM and he can give you a pre-molded splint that they use to splint large dogs which is better than using a PVC pipe. Banamine is good to decrease swelling, but please talk to a DVM first b4 administering any drug.
You should see the fawn bearing weight on the splint almost immediately if it is well done. My doe improved within 2 weeks significantly, and at 3 wks, I removed her splint. She had pressure sores all up and down her leg which I treated with Excede and a topical debriding agent (i.e., Granulex). Excede is a long-lasting antibiotic that works well on skin infections. Most deer DVMs use it for treating deer b/c of it's long-lasting effect.
A great DVM on this forum that you can consult is [email protected]
all the best.
We use the foam insulation for PVC pipe to line the inside of the splint. It is much more rigid than cotton or gauze and can actually be used as a stand alone splint by itself. Did I mention it is pre-cut lengthwise too.
Simply split the foam and place it around the leg. The foam comes in different diameters, so you need to choose the one appropriate to the limb size. Then use tape to keep the foam closed around the limb. Often times, the foam is stiff enough to work on its own, but if not, you can axially insert metal rods (we use SS heli-arc rods 1/8" diam.) to add stiffness. The stiffer you need the foam, the more rods you use. You can also use the rods to sculpt the splint to conform to the natural position of the limb. This technique works well since it minimizes chaffing because it is soft.