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Neyla's Dragging On Walks


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I posted a little while ago that Neyla was dragging on hills and rocky surfaces. Turns out I may have found the problem. Her nailbed under one toenail on a back toe is a bit inflamed and bloody. I haven't actually seen it bleeding, no blood on bedding or anything, but it's dark from dried blood if that makes sense and the toe is sensitive.

 

I noticed this when I was checking her for ticks after our weekend of camping and hiking. When I saw it, I remembered having seen it before, but I monitored it and a few days later it appeared to be gone. Because of our mileage this weekend (23 miles Sat/Sun combined) I am thinking it's a minor problem that resurfaces when we do longer hikes. Does anyone have any idea what this is? I don't think it's pemphigus b/c it's only on one toe and the nail is not loose.

 

I need to schedule her annual exam soon so I'll talk to my vet about it, but wanted to ask here as well as usual beforehand so I can go in armed with my preconceived notions. :P

 

I do have Therapaws that I can try in the meantime to see if that gives her some relief, but I'm afraid it would just apply more pressure to the nail. Strangely enough, Zuri was licking the nail of his same toe this morning, but I couldn't see anything wrong with his. Maybe it's just too much pressure on their nails when we hike that much? I do try to keep them cut back, but Neyla is very sensitive about it so it's tougher with her although we're doing better now that we have the dremel. Either way, they aren't particularly long, but I could see how the extreme angles of the hills on some of our hikes could put pressure on the nailbed.

 

Well once again, long post - anyone who has experienced something similar or who has any ideas, please let me know. For now, my plan is to be even more diligant about working those nails back and take a rest from hiking until it heals, then go from there. We may try the therapaw once it's healed, if it will heal on its own, but probably not before.

 

By the way, here they are enjoying a nap during our lunch break. Zuri was kind enough to dig a hole big enough for both of them this time so they could really cool off (and get covered with ticks in the process - more fun for mom later!).

 

SNP06.jpg

 

Thanks,

Jen

Edited by NeylasMom

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Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart

"The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong."

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Guest WhenIGiveIn

Its probably a lot to do with the distance especially if they arent used to walking on that type or terrain and for that long. I know my feet would be in pretty bad shape if I did something like that. What is their "normal" routine?

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Its probably a lot to do with the distance especially if they arent used to walking on that type or terrain and for that long. I know my feet would be in pretty bad shape if I did something like that. What is their "normal" routine?

 

We did work up to longer distances. We've always been very active, we walk an average of an hour a day, generally on pavement or sometimes on dirt paths. In the winter, we couldn't do the hikes we can now, but we almost always fit in one hike at a nearby refuge on Sundays. Because of the weather, that was generally only about 5 miles on mostly flat terrain.

 

When the weather warmed up, we very gradually started increasing our distances until we reached about 10 miles/hike. We hike around this distance every weekend in addition to our daily walks so that pretty much is our normal schedule.

gallery_12662_3351_862.jpg

Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart

"The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong."

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Wow, that is a lot of walking (mileage), and I'm thinking that may be contributing to the pad issues. I've never known of greyhounds to be long distance-anything, they're more like sprinters/short distances. And with summer temps, the dragging may also have to do with warmer temps.

Edited by jodyksam

Mom to Daisy (1999-2012), LB (aka Little Bit), and Sammy James (aka Sammy or Buddy)

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To get it healed up, soak a couple times a day (5-15 minutes each time) in Nolvasan solution or epsom salts. On your walks, if it's dry out, might just slip on a baby sock and tape it around her ankle -- that'll keep it from getting dirty. Once she's in for the night, after your last soaking, could put a little antibiotic ointment on -- hate to use it when dog's going to be outside because it attracts all kinds of dirt.

 

I usually "soak" by getting a good plastic bag or two and a washcloth; soak washcloth in solution; wrap around foot; insert foot in plastic bag; tape plastic bag around ankle if need be. This way you can soak with dog lying down rather than trying to get them to hold still while standing up.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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I usually "soak" by getting a good plastic bag or two and a washcloth; soak washcloth in solution; wrap around foot; insert foot in plastic bag; tape plastic bag around ankle if need be. This way you can soak with dog lying down rather than trying to get them to hold still while standing up.

 

Thanks, that sounds MUCH better than having her stand with her foot in a bath. I have some EMT gel too - I've heard that speeds up healing dramatically so I may apply that after the soak. It already looked much better last night so that's a good sign.

 

I did look at the nail again and it is well off the ground (and shorter than some other nails), so still not sure how it's happening. I would think if it were just from the pressure of walking so much, it would happen on other toes as well.

 

Thanks!

gallery_12662_3351_862.jpg

Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart

"The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong."

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Guest Cris_M

This sounds very much like something Gabriel had. The vet trimmed all the excess hair away which looked nasty but opened the area to air. Then, he shortened the nail more than the others -- something Neyla already has going for her. He cleaned it and gave me an antibiotic spray (Betagen) to use every 12 hours. The spray was nicer than an ointment because nothing could get stuck in it. By the next day, Gabriel's toe looked amazingly better.

 

Hope Neyla is better soon.

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Thanks, that sounds MUCH better than having her stand with her foot in a bath.

Have you NEVER read my epsom soak advice to all our corn dogs? :lol (Um, I think I stole it from Batmom at some point :P )

 

Glad to hear you may have gotten to the bottom of it. Be real careful with those nailbeds. When they get infected, it gets nasty (and, of course, yes, Turbo has had an infected nailbed).

 

I did look at the nail again and it is well off the ground (and shorter than some other nails), so still not sure how it's happening. I would think if it were just from the pressure of walking so much, it would happen on other toes as well.

Uneven terrain. Since you're hiking over at SNP, there's all sort of rocks etc on the trails. If that toe steps on part of one, it's enough to push the nail back, even if it is short.


Meredith with Heyokha (HUS Me Teddy) and Crow (Mike Milbury). Missing Turbo (Sendahl Boss), Pancho, JoJo, and "Fat Stacks" Juana, the psycho kitty. Canku wakan kin manipi.

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire

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Have you NEVER read my epsom soak advice to all our corn dogs? :lol (Um, I think I stole it from Batmom at some point :P )

 

Well I'm SURE I have, but don't you know that it goes in one ear and out the other these days? Or in my eyes and out wherever all that stuff I forget goes. Seriously, 8 years at a crappy desk job will do that to you!

 

Cris_M - did the vet give you any indication why your dog had the problem? I'm assuming it didn't come back?

 

Thanks!

gallery_12662_3351_862.jpg

Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart

"The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong."

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