Dog Broken Leg Treatment Cost and Procedure Guide

Despite your best efforts to keep your furry pal safe, accidents happen. If your dog is injured and breaks a bone, you may feel a mix of emotions as you focus on their well-being and the steps needed for treatment. Understanding your dog’s condition and knowing what to expect can help you feel more prepared and confident in their care.

Signs Your Dog's Leg May Be Broken

A break involving one or more bones in your dog’s front or back leg is usually the result of serious trauma, such as when a dog gets hit by a car or falls from a height, but it can also occur from rough play, sporting activities or fights with other dogs.¹ Puppies under 1 year of age are more likely to break a leg than adult dogs because of differences in bone strength and activity level.

A broken leg requires emergency veterinary care. Signs to look for include:¹

• Abnormal leg position or orientation
• Holding up a leg
• Refusing to walk
• Swelling or bruising

If the break is related to trauma or a fall, your dog could also have internal damage. Call your veterinarian or take your dog to an emergency veterinary facility right away after a traumatic incident or if you think their leg is broken.

Types of Dog Leg Fractures

There are different types of fractures that can happen if your dog's leg is broken. These can include:¹

• Incomplete fracture. A crack that goes only partway through the bone
• Complete fracture. A crack that extends all the way through the bone, breaking it into two or more pieces
• Open fracture. When a piece of bone protrudes through the skin, creating a wound and increasing the chance of infection
• Closed fracture. Does not break through the skin

Treatment Options for a Dog's Broken Leg

A broken leg requires proper veterinary treatment to heal normally. The appropriate treatment will depend on many factors, including the fracture type, location and severity. Although some fractures can be treated with a splint or cast, many broken bones require surgery for a successful outcome.²

Surgical repair

Your veterinarian might recommend surgery to repair your dog’s broken leg, especially if the bone is broken into more than two pieces (i.e., comminuted) or the fracture is open or in a place that is difficult to cast or splint.¹ Surgical treatment realigns the bone and uses hardware, such as metal plates and screws, to hold it in place, providing strength as it heals.

Leg fracture repair is a type of orthopedic surgery that often requires a board-certified veterinary surgeon. The surgeon will consider your dog’s age, size and activity level to determine which surgical procedure will best stabilize the bone.¹

Non-surgical treatments

Incomplete and simple fractures may heal with non-surgical treatment, including casting or splinting, and strict activity restriction.³ This method might cost less than surgery, but healing could take longer and may require frequent veterinary visits for splint changes and checkups.¹

Whatever treatment you choose, the ultimate goal is to help your dog heal and return to normal activity. Your veterinarian will carefully assess your dog’s specific injury and overall health to recommend the best treatment plan.

Costs to Treat a Dog's Broken Leg

The national average cost* to treat a dog’s broken leg ranges from $1,371 to $5,803, depending on the type of fracture and whether surgery is required to repair it.⁴

The cost also depends on the veterinarian and facility handling your pet’s care. Specialist or emergency treatment is more expensive than care provided by your family vet, and surgery is typically more expensive than non-surgical care. You should choose a treatment plan based on your budget and what is best for your pet and family.

The table below shows the average costs* of services your dog might need if they break a leg:⁴

Non-surgical treatment for a dog's broken leg usually costs less initially but requires frequent visits, which can incur additional costs. Replacing a splint weekly for an average healing time of six weeks costs around $1,769 on average, but can range from $1,371 to $3,347, although the number of visits needed may vary.⁴

Additional cost considerations

You could pay more than the estimated costs above if your dog needs physical therapy or develops complications from surgery or from wearing a splint. Additionally, choosing non-surgical treatment when your vet recommends surgery could end up costing the same or more than surgery if your dog’s broken leg doesn’t heal as planned.¹

Will Pet Insurance Cover a Broken Leg?

The unexpected expense of treating a dog’s broken leg can be overwhelming. Fortunately, pet insurance can help offset costs when your dog gets sick or has an accident. Most pet insurance policies cover fractures and other accidental injuries, provided you purchase the policy before the incident occurs. If you try to buy a policy after the injury, the company may exclude the fracture from coverage because the condition is preexisting.

Dog Leg Fracture Repair Surgery Overview

If your dog has a broken leg that requires surgery, you may feel anxious about the procedure or its potential outcomes. Asking questions of your surgeon and learning about the general process can help ease your concerns. Here’s a look at what surgery entails.

Preparation

Before the surgery, your veterinarian will perform a complete physical exam and blood work to ensure your dog is healthy enough for anesthesia. They will also perform imaging tests to plan their surgical approach.²

Procedure

Once your dog is under anesthesia, the surgeon will shave and scrub the surgery site to minimize the likelihood of infection, which is the most common complication following orthopedic procedures.⁷ The next steps depend on the type and complexity of the fracture but generally include:

• Realigning the bone. The surgeon will move the bone pieces into their correct positions.² They may apply graft materials to fill in any gaps.³
• Stabilizing the fracture. Various pieces of hardware can be used to hold the bone in place while it heals, including internal plates, screws, pins and wires and external fixation devices.³
• Closing the incision. When finished, the surgeon closes the incision with sutures or staples.
• Applying a bandage. A bandage may be used to protect the area or limit movement during initial recovery.¹

Recovery

After surgery, the veterinary team will closely monitor your dog while they wake from anesthesia. They will also administer medications to control pain and keep your dog comfortable during the recovery period. Depending on the surgery’s complexity, your surgeon might recommend an overnight stay before sending your dog home.

When your dog is discharged, the veterinary team will discuss postoperative medications and instructions, which often include:³

• Activity restriction¹
• Antibiotics
• Bandage changes¹
• Crate rest¹
• Follow-up visits
• Pain medications
• Therapeutic exercises

Possible Complications

Whether your dog undergoes surgical or non-surgical treatment for a broken leg, complications can develop.

Complications related to surgical treatment

Fracture repair surgery is generally safe, but all surgical procedures carry potential complications, which are surgical outcomes that aren’t considered normal and sometimes require additional surgery or treatment. In most cases, the benefits of surgery far outweigh these concerns. After surgery, your dog will likely experience mild swelling, bruising and discomfort that should improve in a few days to weeks.¹

Common complications after fracture repair surgery in dogs include:

• Infection. Redness, tenderness, warmth or discharge from the incision site could indicate infection. In one study of dogs undergoing knee surgery, 8.5% developed infections, with most requiring additional surgical intervention.⁷
• Implant problems. Implants (e.g., plates or screws) can shift out of place or break. In a study of 158 dogs and cats undergoing fracture repair at a university veterinary hospital, nearly 1 in 4 had implant-related complications. Of those, about half needed additional surgery to fix the issue.⁸
• Delayed healing. One study found that about 1 in 5 dogs had slow or no healing after fracture surgery, with factors like implant failure, complex fractures, older age and infection affecting recovery.⁹

Complications related to non-surgical treatment

Dogs who don’t undergo surgery may also struggle with complications related to fracture treatment. Pressure sores and skin infections are common, but proper aftercare — including keeping the skin under a splint, cast or bandage clean and dry — can help prevent these complications.¹

Most dogs treated with non-surgical care for fractures are young and have simple fractures in locations amenable to splinting.³ Because vets select these cases carefully, the chance of slow or no healing is low.

Helping Your Dog Recover From a Broken Leg

You can help your dog recover from a broken leg by closely following instructions from your pet’s veterinary care team. Skipping recheck visits, modifying bandages at home or giving medications incorrectly can prolong the healing process, which can range from four to eight weeks.¹ In one study, the average healing time for healthy dogs was 48 days, but it took up to 282 days in cases where complications developed.⁹

Supportive care measures

Recovery can take several weeks or months and typically includes the following supportive measures:¹

• Bandage and incision care. Cover bandages and incisions when outdoors to keep them clean and dry and prevent your dog from licking or chewing. Use an Elizabethan collar (cone) if needed.
• Confinement. Limit your dog's movement, gradually increasing activity levels as your vet allows. Pets can walk while healing from a broken leg, but they may need assistance to avoid slipping or falling on stairs or slippery floors. For large dogs, you can purchase a support sling with handles.
• Engagement. You can keep your pet’s spirits up by engaging in indoor activities that exercise their brain (e.g., training, food puzzles) without putting too much stress on the broken bone.
• Therapy. At-home therapy can include hot and cold packs, massage, gentle stretching, range-of-motion exercises and gradual weight-bearing.

Follow-up visits

Regular recheck visits are critical to monitor bone healing, check incisions, remove sutures or staples and change bandages or splints.² Diligently following your vet’s recommended schedule and maintaining open communication with your veterinary team can help you navigate the recovery process, minimize complications and return your dog to their happy, active self.

The Takeaway on Treating a Dog's Broken Leg

Although a broken leg is a serious injury, surgical and non-surgical treatments can help your dog heal and return to normal activity. Since all injuries and pets are different, your veterinarian will assess your pet and develop a treatment plan to give them the best chance for a full recovery. Following your veterinary team’s recommendations will help your dog achieve the best possible outcome.

Financing Fracture Repair Surgery With the CareCredit Credit Card

Your dog is your best friend, and you want to make sure they get the very best. That's why the CareCredit credit card is here to help you manage the costs of diagnostics and treatment for conditions like fracture repair surgery.** Use our Acceptance Locator to find a veterinarian near you that accepts CareCredit. CareCredit is there for you and your pet every step of the way; continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

In addition to pet care, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for dentistry, cosmetic, vision, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?

Author Bio

Angela Beal, D.V.M., has more than 20 years of experience as a veterinarian. Leveraging her background in private practice and academia, she uses her passion for writing to convey information to pet owners to help them keep their pets healthy and happy.