broken toe?

[welshcobnewbie]

Well the greyhound has managed to break his outside front toe and is currently at vets for pick up tomorrow ( he went in as an emergancy a few hours ago) . Any idea what they will do? Will the splint it up or cast it?

 

[Alec Swan]

Are you sure that it's actually broken? Metatarsals collapse on dogs, especially coursing dogs, with regular occurrence, and when they do, as far as I'm aware, there's little short of expensive surgery, and whether that'd work would be in question, I'd have thought.

The strange thing about what we call "Broken toes", is that it doesn't seem to bother them, it doesn't seem to cause any discomfort, and I suppose that all it does, is slow them down, a bit, when they're at full tilt.

Alec.

Ets, having just re-read your post, i'll admit that it's generally one or both of the central toes which collapses. Odd. Was he lame, afterwards?

 

[{97702}]

Well the greyhound has managed to break his outside front toe and is currently at vets for pick up tomorrow ( he went in as an emergancy a few hours ago) . Any idea what they will do? Will the splint it up or cast it?

Neither in my experience My old greyhound girl has broken a toe twice, and her whole foot once, and all the vets did on every occasion was bandage it up with some nice padded dressing, and prescribed painkillers/anti inflammatories

She has mended really well, although her foot is very splayed now so I keep a close eye for arthritis setting in (she is 10 in July)

It was sore for about 2 weeks, more when she broke her whole foot, then she gradually started to weight bear more and use the foot again.

 

[welshcobnewbie]

Yes very lame, as the door is sealed shut, he has pushed the bottom of the door in, and his foot,/outside toe has slid into the open gap and then down to the narrowist part, he has the wrenched around trying to get it out. My partner had to force the door again so I could slide his toe out
He has torn the surrounding skin, there is masses of swelling up his leg and crunching from his toe.

 

[{97702}]

The first time my girl broke her toe it was chasing a hare in Scotland - she went over a stone wall, which had a hawthorn hedge over it, an electric fence one side and a barbed wire fence the other side

Her foot and leg swelled up like something out of a cartoon, she was fine in a few days though

 

[welshcobnewbie]

Im hoping they won' t splint it, he went mental last time he was bandaged ( he pulled a toenail out) and that was only a day or so he had that on.

 

[{97702}]

I'd be surprised if they do. When mine broke her foot (horse trod on her ) the x-rays were pretty spectacular but they still just bandaged

 

[Alec Swan]

Yes very lame, as the door is sealed shut, he has pushed the bottom of the door in, and his foot,/outside toe has slid into the open gap and then down to the narrowist part, he has the wrenched around trying to get it out. My partner had to force the door again so I could slide his toe out
He has torn the surrounding skin, there is masses of swelling up his leg and crunching from his toe.

Oh, well that's a different matter. It may be that the vet's actually remove the toe. It's a very complex digit made up of loads of different bits. If the toe is taken off, they very soon adjust to it, and all those that I've seen, have very quickly come sound.

The poor dog, and poor you, accidents with coursing dogs always seem worse than they actually are.

The vets may well warn you, but Greyhounds and dogs of that type often react VERY badly to anaesthetic. Some dogs can take a couple of days to come round properly, and they can seem to be quite pitiful. I'm not sure that they're actually suffering, but it can be distressing for the owners.

Let us know how he is, when you collect him.

Alec.

 

[{97702}]

Personally I have known of dozens of greyhounds which have gone through anaesthetics without any problems (including my boy who had 21 teeth out last Thursday) so I wouldnt worry too much about that either

ETA - and it was the outside front toe both times with my girl as well....

 

[welshcobnewbie]

Well he is home,
He was howling/ screaming/ barking the place down when I got there, and apparently has been all night .
He is bandaged up with anti biotics and pain killers. And an appointment wednesday to take another look and re-dress.
He isnt weight bearing on it at minute, but seams to be ok otherwise.

Thank you for the replies.

 

[{97702}]

Awww bless, you have to love greyhounds don't you Thanks for the update, I hope he has settled down now he is home - it should be 2-3 days before he starts to weight-bear if he is like my girl was

 

[welshcobnewbie]

Ha yes defo have to love them, I don't think any other dog makes the same noises as a distressed greyhound . ;-)
He is on his bed crashed out poor lad, snoring his head off.

 

[Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt]

Are you sure that it's actually broken? Metatarsals collapse on dogs, especially coursing dogs, with regular occurrence, and when they do, as far as I'm aware, there's little short of expensive surgery, and whether that'd work would be in question, I'd have thought.

The strange thing about what we call "Broken toes", is that it doesn't seem to bother them, it doesn't seem to cause any discomfort, and I suppose that all it does, is slow them down, a bit, when they're at full tilt.

Alec.

Ets, having just re-read your post, i'll admit that it's generally one or both of the central toes which collapses. Odd. Was he lame, afterwards?

Always wondered why my ex racers have got sets of toes like old broken spanners (not a very good metaphor but you get the idea!)... There again could be because the bitch is so often, literally 'underfoot' she regularly gets accidentally stood on...it's a wonder she hasn't got stumps for paws by now!
As somebody else here said, greyhounds - gotta love 'em.
Glad your boy's on the mend OP

 

[{97702}]

I think what AS was referring to was greyhounds/lurchers 'knocking up' toes rather than breaking them? I was always told that was far more common than breaking the toe, it is a total or partial dislocation; if you read about it in a book, it is usually advised that amputation may be required.

I don't think any of my hounds have read the book however, as none of them have done it over the past 25 years

 

[Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt]

I think what AS was referring to was greyhounds/lurchers 'knocking up' toes rather than breaking them? I was always told that was far more common than breaking the toe, it is a total or partial dislocation; if you read about it in a book, it is usually advised that amputation may be required.

I don't think any of my hounds have read the book however, as none of them have done it over the past 25 years

Is this when the toes are bent up and out of shape? Think it doesn't give my bitch a major prob except I do keep an eye on her claws as they don't wear evenly...bless her tho she was only 18 mths when I got her and already like this. Interesting to hear someone saying about bad reactions to meds, my dog grey is exceedingly sensitive like this....

 

[{97702}]

Yes that is it I got one of mine at around 15 months old (never grew big enough to race so was dumped in Ireland) and her toes are amazingly long, luckily she has never done any damage to herself so far

Greyhounds are notorious for not being tolerant to anaesthetics because they have very little body fat, although none of mine have ever had a problem

 

[Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt]

Yes that is it I got one of mine at around 15 months old (never grew big enough to race so was dumped in Ireland) and her toes are amazingly long, luckily she has never done any damage to herself so far

Greyhounds are notorious for not being tolerant to anaesthetics because they have very little body fat, although none of mine have ever had a problem

Ah wondered if body fat was the reason...they're a fascinating breed aren't they

 

[{97702}]

I am a greyhound addict I have had sighthounds for 25 years now (whippets before) then got my first rescue greyhound 11 years ago - I wouldnt have any other breed now

 

[Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt]

I am a greyhound addict I have had sighthounds for 25 years now (whippets before) then got my first rescue greyhound 11 years ago - I wouldnt have any other breed now

Hehe just realised I've clocked up 19 years myself...only 3 tho, a very greyhoundy lurcher and now the two ex racers....one of whom is in her customary position of an evening just now, snwtched up next to me with her snout shoved under my arm...hot and slightly smelly....life's not really worth living if you don't have a long dog as a cling-on!!