Foot problems

[JudyN]

Poor old Jasper is in the wars Long story short, I think he has a corn on one pad, a worn pad right behind the one with the corn, and possibly some muscular soreness.

The catch 22 is that for a corn, you want to try to keep the dog off hard surfaces, soften the pad, and maybe wear a boot. For a worn pad, you want to keep the pad dry, so no mud/wet grass, and toughen it up by walking on pavements - so pretty much the opposite of what the corn needs. The vet, who thinks the worn pad is the main problem, suggested soaking his foot in salt water, but he won't put up with that for any length of time. I did think of paddling in the sea, but sand is really abrasive so not good for worn pads... and the heathland round here is so sandy much of it might just as well be beach really.

His paw seems really sore today... particularly judging by his reaction when I tried to trim his claws this morning

I've just started trying Musher's Secret - I was worried it'd soften the pad rather than toughen it up, but I've read a few things that suggest it might help. In the meantime I'm torn between walking him on pavements to help toughen his worn bit even though he finds it uncomfortable and he can't go off lead, or taking him to the woods where the ground is softer, but also damper - and where he can go off lead but then might run on a rough surface.

I've read a lot about corns, but if anyone has experience of worn pads, I'd be very grateful for any advice

 

[Josie]

Oh poor Jasper :-(

It’s so frustrating when they have problems with their pads/toes anyway let alone two conflicting problems.

Hopefully someone will have some good advice for you

 

[leashedForLife]

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Does Ur vet do laser treatments, @JudyN ?

A particular laser used to relieve pain & inflammation, & help healing, uses (I think) a blue laser.
I may be wrong about the color of the laser, but I do know that there’s one used specifically to reduce pain & speed tissue regeneration. It’s possible that might help BOTH the corn & the worn pad, or praps focus on just one per session.

Another possibility is a protective adhesive patch on the pad to seal out moisture, with a narrow double strip of vet-wrap to hold it in place securely, leaving the claw free.
That would allow the corn to be on damp soft surfaces, while protecting the vulnerable pad from the wet.

In the U-S, we have a number of specialty bandages, all fairly recently developed, that can stay on for 3 to 5 days at a time - they are costly individually, but as they last so long & are for special circs, they are IME worth the expense.
A human nurse in the UK would probly know much more about them, especially those who work with geriatric patients (bedsores, fragile skin that tears easily & heals slowly, & similar).
Wearing such a waterproof long-use bandage would protect his pad from moisture & keep muck off it. // The vet wrap as a secure top layer would keep it in place, or the flexing of his paw & pad will cast it off.

HTH,
- terry

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[leashedForLife]

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Another thot:

Liquid nitro, to remove the corn even below the surface of the pad, so it does not return?...
Podiatrists use this, as do dermatologists - a k9 derma specialist would surely have one.


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[JudyN]

Thanks LfL - I'll ask the vet about laser treatment next time I go, but Jasper is so very suspicious and fear-aggressive I'm not sure if it would be feasible. According to the vet, the problem with covering the pad/foot with an adhesive patch, or putting a boot on it, is that it would further soften the worn pad and exacerbate the problem.

The problem with a bandage is that he probably wouldn't tolerate it, and wouldn't tolerate us preventing him from removing it. I did try to desensitise him to Vetwrap once and he'd be scared if I just laid a bit across his paw

I could set about trying to remove the corn by applying some sort of corn remover, but it would take a while and I really want to get to the root of the cause. He's even limping on carpet now so pretty much anything could be going on - and it's very hard to tell what, exactly, hurts, when he's likely to shriek, tense up completely, and fight back if the vet just touches him...

Today we had a grassy walk this morning, and a short pavement walk to the park this afternoon. Once we got to the park he was more interested in sunbathing than walking round - I'm not sure if that's from the discomfort or just because it's been a beautiful warm day!

Maybe, if I lift his paw to show the vet and we pretend it's me prodding his pads rather than the vet, then the vet can prod them and see which one results in him trying to kill us both

(He's a poppet 99.9999% of the time, honest - he just has some Incredible Hulk genes in him somewhere)

 

[leashedForLife]

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Can they inject a short-term sedative in order to examine him properly while he lies flat, & treat him whilst he’s out?...
That would be my go-to.

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[JudyN]

I'm not aware of any safe short-term sedative that clears his system quickly (I expect you're aware of the risks of sedation in sighthounds, and their poor ability to metabolise the drugs). When he's had them in the past, he's fought the effects for ages, tottering like a baby giraffe and refusing to lie down until he collapses, he's cried all night after, big bug eyes staring at who knows what horrors, and he's unpredictable for days.

It may come to that, though - though of course he won't be able to indicate where it hurts, and if they can confirm that the worn pad is the problem, they won't be able to 'fix' it - I'd guess laser treatment would take a few sessions. They could remove the corn, but surgically removed corns tend to recur.

But if you do know of any sedatives you think could be suitable, or if you have any other ideas, do keep them coming, because with such a bleeding awkward dog I need all the help I can get! I can't help thinking it would be a lot less stressful all round if the vet had a Jasper-sized cattle crush...

 

[Whippylove]

Poor Jasper
I remember Oliver having a hard time last year when he got something stuck in his foot and then we thought he developed a corn, it was a nightmare he limped all the time. I kept soaking his foot in Epsom salt and rubbed cream in i bought. It eventually cleared up.
Sorry i cant be any help, i was going to suggest boots but i realise you thought that.

 

[JudyN]

Jasper's going in for a sedative/possible anaesthetic tomorrow morning for a full investigation of his foot/leg, plus X-rays. I'm hoping they find something, because he really struggles to walk at times, though he's not too bad once he gets going. While he's under he can have a full dental check, pedicure, eyebrow shaping and whatever else can be done to get our money's worth

He recently had a 10-day trial of Rimadyl and it helped a lot. He still had a slight limp, but was much happier and it put the spring back into his step. I think this means that the pain can't be down to the corn alone, as there must be some inflammation, but would be really grateful if someone had some knowledge on this. But he got bad again very soon after coming off the Rimadyl and the vet & I feel he's too young to start taking it long term.

We shall see what tomorrow turns up. We can't deal with not giving J his breakfast and us eating ours, so we're going to get up when he wakes us at 7am (who needs alarm clocks?), get dressed, head straight out with him and give him a long walk till it's time to head to the vet. An on lead walk, so he can't find anything to eat. Then we'll manhandle him into submission so the vet can sedate him, wait for ages while he totters like a baby giraffe and finally gives in to gravity, then, if we've not passed out from hunger, will head out for breakfast.

Then tomorrow night he'll probably cry all night long staring bug-eyed at imaginary monsters

 

[Whippylove]

Poor Jasper I hope you find out what's causing the pain poor guy. Rimadyl is really good Zak was on it for arthritis helped him a lot and I'm sure Marley had it for a sprain.
Good luck for tomorrow x

 

[JudyN]

Thank you

 

[Caro Perry]

Poor Jasper - yes I remember the crying from when Harri had a procedure under sedation. Poor things. It really messes with their minds.

Hope they manage to find the problem for him.

 

[leashedForLife]

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So far, knock wood, none of my dogs had “nightmares” nor daymares, post-GA.
They’d be a bit subdued for a day or 2, sometimes 3 or even 4 days, not as active, more naps in the day or evening, more chewing / less fetch, but otherwise OK.

Poor Jasper can’t catch a break. His terror of the vet only makes any Dx or Tx so much harder on everyone.
I sure hope that it’s something either easily treated at home, or treated once & done. Not something that requires repeat visits to the G.P., & hands-on medical care!


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[JudyN]

Yes, he's his own worst enemy. Though in his mind his vet is his worst enemy, and if I'm trying to do something to him he doesn't want done, I'm his worst enemy!

But hey, lions and tigers in zoos have vets, don't they? It can't be that hard

 

[excuseme]

I hope you have positive results tomorrow.
Big hugs for Jasper.
Best wishes.

 

[leashedForLife]

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If the zoos, their Admins, & the animals’ keepers (who do the direct care) have any brains, @JudyN , they habituate all their resident captives to handling from an early age - or at whatever age they acquire them, even as adults — they teach them simple husbandry behaviors for daily exams, & they have also taught them to walk into a squeeze, enter a crate, or otherwise willingly enter a confined space confidently, so that up-close-&-personal stuff for hands-on is easy on the animal, & safe for the staff.

Gorillas & other primates have been easily taught to offer their arms & hold still for a blood draw, tigers & other big cats stand spread-eagled against their cage walls for full underbody exams with their forearms extended, hippos & other animals with cavernous maws open wide on cue to have oral & tooth exams visually...
It’s a much less stressful routine.

I taught my cockatiel, & later, my large parrots, to grip the bars of their cages so that I could trim their claws without needing to restrain them - MUCH easier, & a lot less screaming, too.

- terry

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[arealhuman]

Best wishes for Japser today!

 

[JudyN]

We're back from the vet's now. Best outcome possible, really - Jasper's X rays showed not a hint of arthritis or damage, so the vet has concluded that the corn was the problem all along, and has dug out as much as possible. His teeth are in excellent nick, so she's just chipped a bit of tartar off.

Oh, but talk about stresshound They do sedation/surgery etc. at a different branch to our usual ones and he must associate it with really horrible things happening - while we were still in the waiting room he was trembling and his heart was practically beating its way out between his ribs. He was in a state as soon as he came round from the sedative too, and is now pacing around whining, with his back end shaking and barely supporting him. Possibly his brain is saying 'Where's my breakfast?' but he doesn't feel like taking treats...

As a way of getting out of walkies, it sucks. He had a good hour in Poole Park beforehand as we left the house before he could get too upset about not having breakfast, then after he'd gone to sleep we walked into Ashley Cross for our breakfast, then walked back to the vet's only to be told he'd be another hour, so went for another walk. I don't think he'll want an afternoon walk.....

 

[JudyN]

This is the state he was in just now - he has lain down since, but he's still whining and dripping saliva all over the carpet...

 

[excuseme]

Oh dear, poor Jasper. If only he could understand. At least you are with him to help him settle now.
Best wishes.