Went shopping to Meadowhall and came back with......

deb_l222

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A Willow person!! It wasn’t quite as simple as that but not far off :)

I rang my friend and said, I’m off to Meadowhall, do you want anything? She said, no not really but I have a springer, do you want to have a look on your way home?

Long story short, she had been in boarding at friends kennels. Owners wanted to rehome her because she was chewing her way through the house while they left her for 10 hours while they went to work, hmmmm. They then resorted to muzzling and crating.

Anyhow, she’s been here just over two weeks now and not damaged anything. To be fair, she’s very puppyish and everything goes in her mouth but she doesn’t chew. She’s just over 12 months old which is a radical departure for me. I usually prefer my woofs to be of the more mature variety. This one has sharp teeth :D

Absolutely EVERYTHING is new to her just about. She has a deformed left back foot and as such was never walked so the outside world is sooooo exciting!! Bedding and blankets are also a mystery to her but she will lay her head on a blanket now.

My vet, who I trust to the moon and back, has said the foot isn’t brilliant but it’s a viable appendage and amputation isn’t the preferable option. The only time she doesn’t really use it is on really hard ground like tarmac or concrete. She’s grossly overweight (especially for a baby) so it’s a massive priority to get some weight off as that will help the leg / foot as well.

Enough rattling, here’s a few pics:

First day at home
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Willow under the willow :)
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The wonky foot
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Having a play with her sister (excuse the parched state of the lawn)
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Naughty monkey with the hedgehog water bowl
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Another ‘foot’ piccie
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splashgirl45

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she looks sweet. i assume she was born with the problem foot , does that mean she cant have much exercise? she looks like a happy little person..
 

Cinnamontoast

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Lucky girl ending up with you! I wonder if the foot could be tidied up so it’s flatter/more usable? She’s very pretty.
 

deb_l222

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she looks sweet. i assume she was born with the problem foot , does that mean she cant have much exercise? she looks like a happy little person..

Yep, we think she was born like it although the owners did say something about the foot being damaged as a very young puppy but it’s hard to see how that’s possible as she effectively just has one big toe!!

She is tremendously happy considering she’s not seen a lot of life. Her social skills with the other dogs are a bit hit and miss but nothing aggressive.

Exercise wise, my vet has said crack on and let her have a life so we’re going steady to start with on the lead. She pulls like a tank though so that’s a work in progress.
 

deb_l222

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Lucky girl ending up with you! I wonder if the foot could be tidied up so it’s flatter/more usable? She’s very pretty.

Yes, both the vet and myself have said it’s a pity she doesn’t have just one more toe then it would be more stable. It would also be more protected with hair!!

If I could compare her use of it to anything, I would say it’s like us with bare feet. Fine while you’re on carpet, lino, wood floors, grass etc but if you walk on gritty tarmac or concrete it’s a bit ‘ouchy’ and that’s when she doesn’t use it.

I generally chuck the dogs in the car and drive to the woods so not much roadwork required.
 

deb_l222

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Would a boot help. You can get little trainer type boots for dogs.

Currently looking into having a bespoke boot made for walkies although my vet doesn’t think it’s essential. There’s very little hair on the ‘foot’ so very little protection from brambles, nettles etc so I think it will help although it seems to be toughening up more as each day passes.
 

Cinnamontoast

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Bear gashed his pad, Christmas Eve, bloody typical! He had this boot on for a while. Trouble is, he’s a typical springer, motorbikes round the woods, so long term, it’s not a viable option, it would just get ripped off. Due to Zak’s DA and not wanting to have injuries to treat, we usually do park walks so on grass, this is not my ideal solution, but reduces vet bills!
38007809_10157614644659377_3524057293849100288_o.jpg
 

deb_l222

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Bear gashed his pad, Christmas Eve, bloody typical! He had this boot on for a while. Trouble is, he’s a typical springer, motorbikes round the woods, so long term, it’s not a viable option, it would just get ripped off. Due to Zak’s DA and not wanting to have injuries to treat, we usually do park walks so on grass, this is not my ideal solution, but reduces vet bills!
38007809_10157614644659377_3524057293849100288_o.jpg


I'm starting to think I should at least put a bit of vet wrap round it just as protection. I've allowed her off-lead a bit the last couple of days and it's fair to say she's bonkers!! Has total disregard for brambles, branches, twigs and other flora and fauna that may get in her way - she just crashes straight through it. She's walking fine but the 'foot' is somewhat pink and scratched up, which isn't good. Saying that, it's not bothering her in the slightest, so I'm probably fretting more than she is :)

Very imaginative dressing by the way - I'm impressed with your DIY skills :D
 

deb_l222

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Hi fellow Barnsley hho!! I bet she trapped it as a pup. Who’s your vet is it Simon by any chance? X

Aaaahhhhh no, my vet of choice is Alan Beatty of Beech House vets at High Green. I swapped and changed horse vets all the time but I've been loyal to Alan for nearly 25 years now!! Longest male relationship I've ever had :D

He's seen many a springer (and a couple of terriers) come and go and put up with a lot of my fretting and tears ha ha. Patience of a saint.................
 

Clodagh

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Currently looking into having a bespoke boot made for walkies although my vet doesn’t think it’s essential. There’s very little hair on the ‘foot’ so very little protection from brambles, nettles etc so I think it will help although it seems to be toughening up more as each day passes.

I had some boots made for Tawny, they are no good for shooting so I have never used them. Happy to post you one so you can try it, if you would like to pm me your address. They just sit in my first aid kit doing nothing.
 

Cinnamontoast

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I'm starting to think I should at least put a bit of vet wrap round it just as protection. I've allowed her off-lead a bit the last couple of days and it's fair to say she's bonkers!! Has total disregard for brambles, branches, twigs and other flora and fauna that may get in her way - she just crashes straight through it. She's walking fine but the 'foot' is somewhat pink and scratched up, which isn't good. Saying that, it's not bothering her in the slightest, so I'm probably fretting more than she is :)

Very imaginative dressing by the way - I'm impressed with your DIY skills :D

Typical springer, then! Bear does the whole run through rather than round cover, literally jumps up and down in brambles. This is why we prefer nice safe park walks.

Maybe another way of treating her is to harden up the paw, surgical spirit or just allow it to become tougher through walking. If she’s been crated, she’ll automatically toughen it up with increased exercise/exposure to hard ground.
 

PetMom4Life

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What a cutie!!! So lucky to have found you! Might I suggest trying just a simple rubber rain boot? One of our dogs at times would scratch herself until she bled (spring-time allergies thought the vet). We would keep rubber rain dog boots on her to keep her from hurting herself.
 

deb_l222

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First attempt at a group photo which was hysterical and to update on the foot. It’s now confirmed she was born with four normal feet but her mum (doggy mum) chewed off three of the four toes when she was very young, leaving the foot very deformed.

It does seem to be getting tougher, for want of a better word, and she’s limping less every day. She is however in the dog house today as she totally vanished this morning. She had been doing fairly well off lead up until today. She’s not completely daft thank goodness and made her way back to where we had started, patiently waiting to be let in the car!!

Rufus (middle) adequately demonstrating his right angled front leg. He has radius and ulna misalignment but it doesn’t worry him.

Willow (left) dodgy back foot

Button (right) twelve months today since her cruciate repair and she’s marvellous. She will be fourteen next week :)

Nine good legs between them but they crack on :D

TwjvPgd.jpg
 

Cinnamontoast

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First attempt at a group photo which was hysterical and to update on the foot. It’s now confirmed she was born with four normal feet but her mum (doggy mum) chewed off three of the four toes when she was very young, leaving the foot very deformed.

It does seem to be getting tougher, for want of a better word, and she’s limping less every day. She is however in the dog house today as she totally vanished this morning. She had been doing fairly well off lead up until today. She’s not completely daft thank goodness and made her way back to where we had started, patiently waiting to be let in the car!!

Rufus (middle) adequately demonstrating his right angled front leg. He has radius and ulna misalignment but it doesn’t worry him.

Willow (left) dodgy back foot

Button (right) twelve months today since her cruciate repair and she’s marvellous. She will be fourteen next week :)

Nine good legs between them but they crack on :D

TwjvPgd.jpg

Oh dear, went off hunting, did she?! Reminds me of a dog I know....

Rufus is gorgeous! A very handsome dog.
 
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