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Last updated 24th June 2005 by Bree
Information on Dragon Threadscore Injuries and Treatment
Each Weyr trains its own dragonhealers - mostly riders with aptitude for or previous training in healing. A dragonhealer needs dispassion, skill, and dexterity, and most of all cannot hesitate to perform drastic actions to save a dragon's life or wing. During emergencies, human and beast healers can be drafted to assist. When an injured dragon lands, any folk on the ground should immediately apply numbweed to injuries to stop the flow of ichor until a dragonhealer can be found to assist the injured dragon.
The dragonhealer should get the injured dragon's lifemate to remain calm and encouraging, as this will aid in treating the injured dragon. Pain will echo through the link to the rider, but he must suppress this in order to help his lifemate. The dragon of the healer locks gazes and minds with the injured dragon. In the case of larger injuries, the dragonhealer is usually assisted by others, particularly those dragonhealers who do not have a dragon lifemate. Before doing any stitching, the dragonhealer should be careful to coat his or her hands with redwort and then oil three times to keep the numbweed from numbing fingers to the point of uselessness.
Overstressing
This injury is most common in weyrlings, but can happen in older dragons during Falls with heavy winds. Obvious signs of overstretched tendons are evident if a wing or limb is favored or the dragon is limping. If a wing tendon is overstressed, it may misshape the sail. In extreme cases, a sprain or break may occur. To treat, wrap the area with cloth and immobilize with reeds if necessary. Keep the dragon resting until it heals. Swimming may help a dragon regain control of an overstressed tendon. No flying if the wings or hind legs are injured.
Fractures
The density of dragon bones make them difficult to break, but equally difficult to set and heal. A wing can be broken easily from a bad Threadscore or from being tossed into another dragon by the wind during Fall. Other limbs can be broken this way as well. A simple fracture might appear as if it were a sprain, but a compound will be evident by the abnormal angle of the bone and a possible puncture of the hide by the broken bone.
Simple Fracture: If unaligned, move bones back into place and place splints at 90 degree angles to each other. Wrap splints with bandages and keep the dragon from flying or engaging in other activities that cause further injury.
Compound Fracture: If the skin has been punctured, clean the area with redwort. Align the bone edges and lock into place. If the fracture is an open wound, splinting inside with wherry gut may be necessary. Suture any damaged muscles and veins from the inside and outside as needed. Splint and wrap with reeds and cloth for protection. Check daily for infection and signs of poor healing, coating three to four times a day with numbweed if the bones broke the skin, until the skin heals over. Do not bandage, as wounds heal faster if left to the open air.
Minor Threadscore
The rider can treat a minor threadscore with numbweed and leave the wound open to the air to heal. Deep wounds may take longer for the numbweed to take effect, so the rider must reassure his/her lifemate that the pain will be relieved soon.
Major Threadscore, Non-Wing
As numbweed should have been applied when the dragon landed, the dragonhealer should clean the area with redwort and sterilize needles and thread with redwort. Gut thread is used internally because it dissolves over time. Treated tanner thread is used externally. Suture any veins to stop the flow of ichor and stitch injured muscles back together, working outwards until the wound can be stitched closed. Use cross stitches in heavily used areas such as the shoulders or hind limbs, and backstitch at the end of each suture. Check daily for infection and signs of poor healing, coating three to four times a day with numbweed if the bones broke the skin, until the skin heals over. Do not bandage, as wounds heal faster if left to the open air.
Major Threadscore, Wing
The worst injury a dragonhealer is called upon to repair is usually a threadscored wing. A fragmented leading or trail edge could already be liberally coated with numbweed to stop the flow of ichor and ease the dragon's pain. Considering the smallest dragon has a wingspan of at least 30 meters (approximately 96 feet), one or more assistants will be necessary, depending on the extent of the injury and the size of the dragon.
1. Send for the supplies needed: a table, a length of cloth longer than the dragon's wing, reeds, oil, a very thin numbweed, needles, redwort, thread, and a bowl.
2. A rider dragonhealer should survey the damage from the air, relaying information to the dragonhealer on the ground. The table is placed in front of the wing for the dragonhealer to stand on while stitching the wing.
3. Pour redwort into the bowl and sterilize all needles, thread, cloth, and reeds in it before using.
4. Cut the cloth long enough to support the dragon's wing, and coat it with numbweed.
5. Support the wing underneath the cloth and stitch it to the wing bones and stretch it from the dorsal to the fingerjoint.
6. Make neat tacks to attach the cloth on the dorsal side after liberally applying the thin numbweed to the wing.
7. Fasten the cloth to the underside and pull taunt with help from the assistants. Attach to substitute for shattered battens and sail.
8. Apply numbweed with a paddle and smear cloth again with a thin coating of numbweed so the tatters can be placed on the cloth for regrowth and reformation.
9. Lay all remaining fragments of wing sail on the cloth.
10. Brace the trailing edge with reeds and gauze.
The wing will mend with an overlapping of growth, and will remain scarred for a few turns, but eventually will wear down smooth. The dragon will learn to compensate for the change in the wing's form in flight.
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The dragonhealer should get the injured dragon's lifemate to remain calm and encouraging, as this will aid in treating the injured dragon. Pain will echo through the link to the rider, but he must suppress this in order to help his lifemate. The dragon of the healer locks gazes and minds with the injured dragon. In the case of larger injuries, the dragonhealer is usually assisted by others, particularly those dragonhealers who do not have a dragon lifemate. Before doing any stitching, the dragonhealer should be careful to coat his or her hands with redwort and then oil three times to keep the numbweed from numbing fingers to the point of uselessness.
Overstressing
This injury is most common in weyrlings, but can happen in older dragons during Falls with heavy winds. Obvious signs of overstretched tendons are evident if a wing or limb is favored or the dragon is limping. If a wing tendon is overstressed, it may misshape the sail. In extreme cases, a sprain or break may occur. To treat, wrap the area with cloth and immobilize with reeds if necessary. Keep the dragon resting until it heals. Swimming may help a dragon regain control of an overstressed tendon. No flying if the wings or hind legs are injured.
Fractures
The density of dragon bones make them difficult to break, but equally difficult to set and heal. A wing can be broken easily from a bad Threadscore or from being tossed into another dragon by the wind during Fall. Other limbs can be broken this way as well. A simple fracture might appear as if it were a sprain, but a compound will be evident by the abnormal angle of the bone and a possible puncture of the hide by the broken bone.
Simple Fracture: If unaligned, move bones back into place and place splints at 90 degree angles to each other. Wrap splints with bandages and keep the dragon from flying or engaging in other activities that cause further injury.
Compound Fracture: If the skin has been punctured, clean the area with redwort. Align the bone edges and lock into place. If the fracture is an open wound, splinting inside with wherry gut may be necessary. Suture any damaged muscles and veins from the inside and outside as needed. Splint and wrap with reeds and cloth for protection. Check daily for infection and signs of poor healing, coating three to four times a day with numbweed if the bones broke the skin, until the skin heals over. Do not bandage, as wounds heal faster if left to the open air.
Minor Threadscore
The rider can treat a minor threadscore with numbweed and leave the wound open to the air to heal. Deep wounds may take longer for the numbweed to take effect, so the rider must reassure his/her lifemate that the pain will be relieved soon.
Major Threadscore, Non-Wing
As numbweed should have been applied when the dragon landed, the dragonhealer should clean the area with redwort and sterilize needles and thread with redwort. Gut thread is used internally because it dissolves over time. Treated tanner thread is used externally. Suture any veins to stop the flow of ichor and stitch injured muscles back together, working outwards until the wound can be stitched closed. Use cross stitches in heavily used areas such as the shoulders or hind limbs, and backstitch at the end of each suture. Check daily for infection and signs of poor healing, coating three to four times a day with numbweed if the bones broke the skin, until the skin heals over. Do not bandage, as wounds heal faster if left to the open air.
Major Threadscore, Wing
The worst injury a dragonhealer is called upon to repair is usually a threadscored wing. A fragmented leading or trail edge could already be liberally coated with numbweed to stop the flow of ichor and ease the dragon's pain. Considering the smallest dragon has a wingspan of at least 30 meters (approximately 96 feet), one or more assistants will be necessary, depending on the extent of the injury and the size of the dragon.
1. Send for the supplies needed: a table, a length of cloth longer than the dragon's wing, reeds, oil, a very thin numbweed, needles, redwort, thread, and a bowl.
2. A rider dragonhealer should survey the damage from the air, relaying information to the dragonhealer on the ground. The table is placed in front of the wing for the dragonhealer to stand on while stitching the wing.
3. Pour redwort into the bowl and sterilize all needles, thread, cloth, and reeds in it before using.
4. Cut the cloth long enough to support the dragon's wing, and coat it with numbweed.
5. Support the wing underneath the cloth and stitch it to the wing bones and stretch it from the dorsal to the fingerjoint.
6. Make neat tacks to attach the cloth on the dorsal side after liberally applying the thin numbweed to the wing.
7. Fasten the cloth to the underside and pull taunt with help from the assistants. Attach to substitute for shattered battens and sail.
8. Apply numbweed with a paddle and smear cloth again with a thin coating of numbweed so the tatters can be placed on the cloth for regrowth and reformation.
9. Lay all remaining fragments of wing sail on the cloth.
10. Brace the trailing edge with reeds and gauze.
The wing will mend with an overlapping of growth, and will remain scarred for a few turns, but eventually will wear down smooth. The dragon will learn to compensate for the change in the wing's form in flight.
See Also: No articles yet
Referenced By: No articles yet