Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Afternoon,

About 3 weeks ago Charlie cut his food in the woods, he came out looking like he had stared in a horror film bleeding, limping. David got him home and we cleaned the cut which was small with boiled salted water and continued to keep it clean. I know pads/feet bleed a lot as Hattie has done this a few times. David kept him on lead for a few days all was back to normal. Last week he cut the same foot, not too much bleeding again cleaned it up, no limping, kept him on lead all week and no access to the garden but I noticed the toe nail is sticking straight out and in the middle of this week he had a slight limp so we took him to the Vets this morning as I wondered if he had torn a tendon. The vet said he has an infected toe so gave him an antibiotic shot, she's not sure if he has torn a tendon or dislocated the toe. We have to take him back in two weeks to see if the swelling has gone down in his toe which is due to the infection. If it hasn't he will need X-Rays to see what's going on. If it's a torn tendon apparently there is nothing that can be done, if it's a dislocated toe and it's not bothering she may well leave it alone or he might have to have it amputated :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

I am so very, very upset, was this our fault, we thought we had been keeping the cut clean and he has been his normal self bugging Hattie, playing, training etc. until the limp, I feel sick to my stomach :'( :'( :'(

Does anyone have any experience with this as I need to have everything straight in my head if a decision needs to be made? Any help would be so very much appreciated.

Thanks for listening :'( :'( :'( xx

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Poor Charlie. I'm very sorry Helen. :-\

I'm afraid I haven't had any experience of it apart from cut feet. Feet are very hard to keep clean. It certainly isn't your fault or anything you've done. When Sam split his claw Kate thought he'd broken his toe, if I remember correctly, because he couldn't put weight on it. Hopefully it's just infection and the vet was just telling you worse case possibilities. From what you've said I would think it more likely infection. If he'd dislocated it or torn a tendon surely he would've been limping straight a way. Whereas it would've taken a few days for an infection to make him limp which is what sounds like has happened.

Fingers crossed you see an improvement in a few days.

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Argh poor Charlie

Not the same thing at all, but last year Poppy sprained a toe tendon - it took weeks to get better!!! All healed up fine though.

Don't worry and don't blame yourself Helen. Active dogs are always going to hurt themselves, and feet are impossible to keep completely clean. Xx

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

I am sorry, but don't blame yourself, it could have happened even if you had taken him to the vet, he may well have picked up the infection later. Greyhounds often dislocate their toes and it usually resolves in time, I have known one or two have an amputation but it doesn't seem to affect them overly afterwards.

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Oh Helen,you couldn't have done any more.....keeping it clean,restricting excercise,all sensible actions to take.Their feet are so vulnerable aren't they...only this morning I've found a little scabbed area on Dexters paw that I didnt even know he'd hurt :-[ Antibiotics are really effective and an injection will give any infection a good direct hit,try not to worry ,easy said I know ,and see how it's doing when you go back in 2 weeks x

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Poor lad! I'm sure the antibiotics will help a lot. Sometimes, despite our best care, an opportunistic infection can get a hold. But that's what antibiotics are for I hope you see a difference soon.

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Oh no poor Charlie . As everyone has said, very hard to keep a labs foot clean and you did everything right it's just bad luck.

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Oh poor lad , hoping the antibiotics soon do their magic Helen, these things happen to the best of us , don't blame yourself xx

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Just wanted to say poor Charlie, hope he recovers OK, don't blame yourself though you have obviously done everything possible, I would have been exactly the same, especially if they wasn't any limp, or evidence of soreness

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Poor Charlie. But you did nothing wrong so don't go blaming yourself. Hope he recovers quickly. xx

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Aw, poor Charlie. Hopefully soon healed up.

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Sorry to hear about poor Charlie but things like that just happen, nothing you could have done. Hope the antibiotics do the trick.

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Poor Charlie. I hope it heals soon. There's absolutely nothing you could have done to prevent it - labs are just very active, enthusiastic dogs and accidents happen.

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Ah poor Charlie. I'm sure the ABs will help tremendously and hopefully that'll be the last of it

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

I remember Nancy in Minnesota's Daisy had issues with a dislocated toe and there were some mixed opinions on amputation or not.
Not sure if this would help you Helen
http://www.thelabradorforum.com/index.php?topic=7923.msg111435#msg111435

Poor chap

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Oh dear poor Charlie.

Try not to be too hard on yourself, Helen, you did everything right-these things just happen sometimes. I hope it all forgets sorted out without too much difficulty.

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

I am so sorry to hear about Charlie; it must be a worry for you at the moment, to say the least. Any update?

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

On no!, poor Charlie. get well soon lovely boy xx

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

I'm in a similar situation, Bella is 13 months old and a couple of months ago she had a limp and I took her to the vet he said it was OCD in her shoulder which I wasn't convinced as she had problems with a limp on her other leg and my regular vet said it wasn't OCD. I pointed out that her toe was sticking up straight but he said there wasn't any thing wrong with it. I had to go back a couple of weeks later and got to see my regular vet and asked him and was devastated when he said she had a torn ligament. She has never cut her paw or injured it so I was pretty shocked. So he said it's not a problem just leave it as it is. It doesn't seem to bother her the only thing is we have to trim the nail as it doesn't make contact with the ground as much.
I'm still sad about it and wonder how she did it.

 

Re: Charlie has a Possible Torn Tendon or Dislocated Toe ;(;(;(;(;(

Thank you so much everyone and thanks Jac for posting that link I appreciate it. Sorry for the late update but I have been so worried about Charlie and life has been manic I haven't posted x

We took Charlie back to the Vet yesterday, she gave his foot a thorough examination, Charlie didn't show any signs what so ever of being in pain or discomfort, the infection and swelling have completely gone and she concluded it's a torn tendon, she said the surgery is not adviseable as he could quite easily do it again as he such an active dog also the crate rest is between 2 - 3 months , she wouldn't put her own dog through it. I can't tell you how relieved we are he didn't have a dislocated toe, didn't need any x-rays or need what I was dreading most an amputation. I just have to keep the nail clipped as it doesn't make any contact with the ground.

So, so happy xxx