SadKen
Well-Known Member
My lovely 11.5 yr old GSD is rather doddery and slow from arthritis but a jolly soul nonetheless. He recently slowed up (a bit more) and about 8 weeks ago got given tramadol by the vet. He was licking his paw at the time, vet thought it was perhaps to release endorphins or may have had arthritis in it.
2 weeks later I spotted that a claw on that foot had split vertically to the quick and could see proud pink flesh. Back to the vet, sedated and had the claw cut back. Took him a few days to recover his equilibrium and longer for the injury to start healing. Had a few setbacks where he knocked it which made him sad. Obviously it’s supposed to be covered by a nail so isn’t going to ‘heal’ as such.
Checked today and the nail is now visible enough from growing back… and it’s growing in two halves again.
I will be taking him back to the vet but I’d rather have a view on next steps before I go.
Ultimately I have 3 choices I think. 1. They have another go under sedation 2. They knock him out and take the toe off 3. Do nothing, but I’ll have to deal with the claw growing out and having to be trimmed and the exposed flesh is likely to be painful/get infections. I’ve been zapping it with leucillin and wound powder to try and keep it healthy while the nail grew back but I think he has picked up a couple of small infections in it.
Im really not keen on 2. It’s a big op and he’s an old dog in every way and doddery. He only does short walks now, he’s happy in himself, big appetite etc but I am worried about the impact of such a big op or even losing him whilst he’s under, plus recovery will take time which I doubt he has a lot left anyway. Took him a while to get over sedation never mind GA and a serious injury. Don’t like 1 either, it’s failed once, can’t imagine it’ll succeed again. Leaving 3, which has its own problems, and I had it done in the first place as I felt like I had to, and ultimately I am in the same situation now.
Argh! Thoughts welcome.
2 weeks later I spotted that a claw on that foot had split vertically to the quick and could see proud pink flesh. Back to the vet, sedated and had the claw cut back. Took him a few days to recover his equilibrium and longer for the injury to start healing. Had a few setbacks where he knocked it which made him sad. Obviously it’s supposed to be covered by a nail so isn’t going to ‘heal’ as such.
Checked today and the nail is now visible enough from growing back… and it’s growing in two halves again.
I will be taking him back to the vet but I’d rather have a view on next steps before I go.
Ultimately I have 3 choices I think. 1. They have another go under sedation 2. They knock him out and take the toe off 3. Do nothing, but I’ll have to deal with the claw growing out and having to be trimmed and the exposed flesh is likely to be painful/get infections. I’ve been zapping it with leucillin and wound powder to try and keep it healthy while the nail grew back but I think he has picked up a couple of small infections in it.
Im really not keen on 2. It’s a big op and he’s an old dog in every way and doddery. He only does short walks now, he’s happy in himself, big appetite etc but I am worried about the impact of such a big op or even losing him whilst he’s under, plus recovery will take time which I doubt he has a lot left anyway. Took him a while to get over sedation never mind GA and a serious injury. Don’t like 1 either, it’s failed once, can’t imagine it’ll succeed again. Leaving 3, which has its own problems, and I had it done in the first place as I felt like I had to, and ultimately I am in the same situation now.
Argh! Thoughts welcome.
