Help please! need advice

[only_me]

my elderly beagle is pushing 12; and both his colateral ligaments in his hind legs have gone. He can walk, and is on painkillers with these - very happy, and loves to chase my neighbours chickens. (she is ok with this, as he is too slow to ever catch one, and can't go up steps very well!)

But he does wander around her yard (fine with this)


Today he came home, and was behaving erratically/frantic and yelping occasionly.
To me, he looked itchy and was desperate to get off his feet, collapsing and lying as much as he could.
Could still get up, and attentive for food rolleyes so figured it wasnt too bad.

Family wanted to call vet and get him out.

I thought that he had probably got into something that he shouldnt have had on the yard, such as fertiliser etc. and had burnt himself/made himself very itchy.

So plan of action was a) get whatever was on his feet off - so he had a hot (as much as he could bare) with hibiscrub in it.
He spent about 15mins in it, and me massaging around his toes.
then I rinsed his feet with more hotish water, and dryed him off.

He seemed happier in the water and wasnt so frantic.

so then I bandaged his feet with a gauze non stick pad and put vet wrap over it, so he couldnt lick it and irritate it.
He also had a piriton (safe for horses so guess safe for dogs?) and I gave him another of his painkillers to ease it.
Obs will keep eye on him, and bring him to vets if gets any worse.

However, do you think I did the right thing? I figured that the vet would have done the same?
Still, what do you all think? what would you have done?

 

[Cedars]

I would have taken him to the vets. Tbh I think you acted quite irresponsibly.

 

[CAYLA]

Dogs do this when they have stood in nettles, in that instance washing them with cold water helps immensley, how is he now is he settles?
With nettles stings they will jump around irratically, lick, nibble at paws, and kick legs out frantically also
A sock over the feet would help after washing but licking nettled feet would not hurt either.
If it was a toxic substance then obs washing and covering would be better to stop ingestion from licking.

Obs if you suspect it was his bad legs then a vet check might have been best.

 

[quirky]

I'd have probably done similar, basically made him comfortable.

I wouldn't have bandaged his feet though as I'd want to see if they were still causing him a problem. If he still wasn't comfortable, then I'd have rung the vet for advice.

 

[only_me]

With nettles stings they will jump around irratically, lick, nibble at paws, and kick legs out frantically also
.

That sounds like him; and my brother heard him barking earlier "like he was trapped", and there is a large bunch of nettles on the line Kiln, where he could have followed a chicken into.

He is much happier now, settled and not licking his feet constantly, content


stupid dog! nettle stings would make lots of sense; he certainly wasnt off his food

Why Flamehead? would the vet have done something different?

 

[Puppy]

Yup, sounds very like Pops after she's been in the nettles. She's usually better after a bath.

 

[only_me]

Oh, hes managed to take one of his bandages off, and isnt attacking it, so assume he feels more comfortable.

I was going to ring vet for advice, but thought he would say same? I know my vet quite well, as he keeps his horse at same yard

It wasnt his leg, was definately his feet; he could still walk but prefered not to - last time he hurt his bad legs he wouldnt move at all.

 

[CAYLA]

It usually takes a good few hours for the sensation of stinging to subside, and they do act a little frantically, no harm in repeating the washing of the pads.
If it is the nettles dont worry re bandages, like I said does not matter if he licks or nibbles, its just like us scratching ourselves when we are nettled

 

[SusieT]

TBH I would have taken him to the vet and not self medicated with equine medicine, as there are some medicines that aren't going to e good for him. Piriton may not be one of them, but better safe than sorry.

 

[only_me]

Just to let you all know, he is as right as rain again!

Very happy, and feet not sore, so assume what ever he did he is over it now

Piriton is a human drug, as is Hibiscrub (well, antiseptic wash for humans)

 

[CorvusCorax]

My dog is on Piriton, it's fine if dosage and use is double-checked with vet.

 

[Jojo_Pea4]

I would/have done the same, I wash mine with warm water and if he wasnt more settled then I would of gone to the vets.

I give my dogs Piriton if they have any allergies was advised by my vet. Hugo ran into nettles this weekend and was sore a few Piriton and was feeling back to normal.