Round two with the vets :(

HeatherAnn

HeatherAnn

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So last week we took the pup to the vet as he was limping, the thread is here: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=11337630#post11337630


We've just got back from the vets and it is not good news :( a different vet saw to us this time and found that his toe is infected. He's cleaned it and sent us home with antibiotics and painkillers. We've been told to soak it twice a day in salt water and go back on Thursday.

He also said that after about a month, if it hasn't cleared up, removing the toe will be a serious option :(

My poor dog was as good as gold, lay there obviously in pain and distressed while the toe was examined and didn't make a sound.

Tbh I'm a little bit annoyed with the first vet who treated him. She diagnosed him as having septic arthritis after doing, IMO a poor examination. She didn't check his pads, or his toes, just wiggled his paws, took our money and sent us home. The person who saw us today was much more extensive with the examination.

I think I'm just upset that my dog has been diagnosed with something he didn't have and this could have been seen to a week earlier. Luckily the medication he was prescribed the first time worked.

Sorry for rambling :o

Anyone got any advice on how to keep a wriggly dog still for a salt water foot spa? ;)
 
Use a plastic Chinese takeaway tray or even an old washing up bowl, fill tray with solution, dunk paw, done. Maybe associate it with giving him a treat to make it a positive experience.
 
CaveCanem said:
Use a plastic Chinese takeaway tray or even an old washing up bowl, fill tray with solution, dunk paw, done. Maybe associate it with giving him a treat to make it a positive experience.
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We tried it with a washing up bowl. He really didn't like it and was jumping round, even though we were bribing him with mince.

Do you think it will be easier when the painkillers kick in because it's looking very tender at the moment.
 
Or get a plastic bag with no holes and fill that with solution. Put it over his foot and hold top shut with one hand. With other hand agitate the bag and therefore the solution.

We do this at work if animals have wounds on feet as it really cleans foot well and they tolerate it better. Use warm, not hot water xx
 
My dog had to do the spa either under different condition. His behave was wried when I introduce the spa to him. He is kind of unwilling. It takes sometime to get him used to. I talked to him and try to be relax. ( He good at bath, but not soaking paw spa)

You could use a 1.5l water bottle and cut in the neck. Maybe you want to tape the edge to smoothed the sharpness.
 
No good suggestions re bathing in salt water but just wanted to reasure you that loosing a toe really dosnt bother them.

Both our labs have had a toe removed from a front paw, one because of a growth and due to infection. You really wouldn't notice the difference, infact the one who had the infection was a different dog afterwards. Made you realise how much pain she must have been in when we thought it was just her age catching up. She's still going now at 16yrs young
 
Willeeckers said:
No good suggestions re bathing in salt water but just wanted to reasure you that loosing a toe really dosnt bother them.

Both our labs have had a toe removed from a front paw, one because of a growth and due to infection. You really wouldn't notice the difference, infact the one who had the infection was a different dog afterwards. Made you realise how much pain she must have been in when we thought it was just her age catching up. She's still going now at 16yrs young
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I'm not really bothered about that but tbh I'd rather do everything I can so it doesn't come to the operation.

He really goes crazy when he can't go out so I just want his foot to be better so he can be a dog :)
 
With the girl who lost her toe due to the infection it grumbled on and on for about 18ths, bathe it in this try these antibiotics etc etc, it would get a little better but then worsen again. She was about 12/13yrs old at the time and we noticed her gradually becoming much slower and even reluctant to go for a walk and thought it was just age catching up on her.

Eventually I came home after being in England for a while took one sniff of her poor paw and order mum to march her straight down to the vet. It was at this point the vet decided to remove the toe. she recovered quickly afterwards and with in a week her movement and enthusiasm for life and returned with a bang, it was like she'd gone back to a much younger dog!! As said earlier she is still with us now at 16yrs young, a great age for a Labrador.

I deeply regret trying to put off having the toe removed, if we'd only had it done sooner it would have saved her so much pain and suffering.
 
Willeeckers said:
With the girl who lost her toe due to the infection it grumbled on and on for about 18ths, bathe it in this try these antibiotics etc etc, it would get a little better but then worsen again. She was about 12/13yrs old at the time and we noticed her gradually becoming much slower and even reluctant to go for a walk and thought it was just age catching up on her.

Eventually I came home after being in England for a while took one sniff of her poor paw and order mum to march her straight down to the vet. It was at this point the vet decided to remove the toe. she recovered quickly afterwards and with in a week her movement and enthusiasm for life and returned with a bang, it was like she'd gone back to a much younger dog!! As said earlier she is still with us now at 16yrs young, a great age for a Labrador.

I deeply regret trying to put off having the toe removed, if we'd only had it done sooner it would have saved her so much pain and suffering.
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This is similar to what's happening now, even though it's early days. He responded really well to the antibiotics last time and was walking fine and his appetite came back, but then when they had finished it went straight back to what it was. Surprisingly even though it looks grim it doesn't have a smell.
 
Is he licking it? Or does he have a buster collar?
Hopefully antibiotics will do the trick although it could take a few courses! And if not the surgery is relatively quick, the recovery should be simple..the most difficult part is keeping a dressing on :)
 
dainewell said:
Is he licking it? Or does he have a buster collar?
Hopefully antibiotics will do the trick although it could take a few courses! And if not the surgery is relatively quick, the recovery should be simple..the most difficult part is keeping a dressing on :)
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He was licking it the first day but then my mum but this antiseptic tea tree spray on his ankle, just above it. We didn't want to put it straight onto the foot, but knew if it went in it wouldn't do any harm and the smell really puts him off licking.



We're ringing the vets now to take him back in so I'll update when we come back :)
 
Urgh! :mad:


The original vet saw us, the one that's a bit pants. She read his notes and then DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT HIS FOOT. We were asked to bring him in today to LOOK AT THE FOOT so his treatment could be adjusted accordingly.

Surely the first step would be to check the foot? Nope. Gave us enough antibiotics to last us to the gap between Christmas and NY and gave us a buster collar.

I want to karate chop her on the top of the head. :mad:

She seems so disinterested in what she's doing :(
 
Did you not ask why she didn't check his foot? Too late now but I would definitely have pointed out that was what the appointment was meant to be for. How is the toe looking to you , if you feel there is no improvement then I would ask to see the other vet.
 
MurphysMinder said:
Did you not ask why she didn't check his foot? Too late now but I would definitely have pointed out that was what the appointment was meant to be for. How is the toe looking to you , if you feel there is no improvement then I would ask to see the other vet.
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I wanted to, it was right on the tip of my tongue but I don't feel like I can tell the vet how to do her job. The toe looks a lot better. It was so swollen that the toes either side of the "abscess" had splayed out but now they are almost back to full size.

The first time we went to her it cost £60. When we went to the other vet it was £2.20 :confused:
 
HeatherAnn said:
I wanted to, it was right on the tip of my tongue but I don't feel like I can tell the vet how to do her job. The toe looks a lot better. It was so swollen that the toes either side of the "abscess" had splayed out but now they are almost back to full size.

The first time we went to her it cost £60. When we went to the other vet it was £2.20 :confused:
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You're not telling her how to do her job, you're paying her for a service, and paying through the nose, at that. Asking her 'can you have a quick look at his foot please' is not telling her how to do her job, especially if you are paying.
I'd be taking my custom elsewhere to be honest.
 
CaveCanem said:
You're not telling her how to do her job, you're paying her for a service, and paying through the nose, at that. Asking her 'can you have a quick look at his foot please' is not telling her how to do her job, especially if you are paying.
I'd be taking my custom elsewhere to be honest.
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The rest of the vets at the surgery are really good though, they really do take good care of the animals and seem to want what's best for them.
She is just really, I don't know how to explain. Just mechanical.
I'll definitely bring it up next time I'm there, but I don't want to be paying for her Christmas when she's done a cruddy job.
 
As CC says you are not telling her how to do her job, you are just trying to get the best treatment for your dog. Most vets charge less for further consultations with the same dog but £2.20 seems very cheap, I suspect they made an adjustment as the vet seemed to have missed the problem on your first visit. I am glad his toe is improving, that is the important thing.
 
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