Another Corn Question

[phall]

My 11 year old boy has to go through a procedure by an orthopedic specialist on Friday that will require anesthesia (he's getting a cortisone injection for a soft tissue injury). While he's out, I asked the orthopedic vet to hull the corn that he has on one front foot. (At the initial exam, the orthopedic vet said he had done hulling before - a while back). The vet said he wouldn't hull it, he'd surgically remove the corn and then put a stitch or two into the pad.

 

I've read the information from Grassmere Animal Hospital and they say not to surgically remove the corn because it won't resolve the problem and will leave the possibility of an infected toe.

 

I've done hulling on my boy's corn previously and within weeks it grows right back. Has anyone gone the surgical route on their grey's corn? If so, can you tell me your experience?

 

Thanks.

 

Pat Hall

[Hubcitypam]

Rex had corns removed on all four paws. It was a race if he would heal before my back went out from lifting his 85 pounds off the stoop. One or two came back but I got them with duct tape. I am not sure if I would do the surgery again if faced with a similar situation as it was very painful for him -- but he did not get an infection. He had a pain patch and the spray to "toughen up" his paws after the surgery stung like heck.

Edited September 5, 2007 by Hubcitypam

[kjw]

We have not done the surgical route here, due to the fact that very few people seem to have good results with it. I hull and dremel, once it took a long while for them to come back, and I thought they were gone for good, but no such luck. I continue to dremel, hull when needed, and use therapaws on hard surfaces.

[Batmom]

Zema had hers hulled. It kept coming back. Rather than surgically remove it and have to stitch the pad, my vet hulled it one last time -- the Grasmere way -- and then just barely touched the hulled surface with a laser. Under anaesthesia since she won't hold still for laser sorts of things . But. This has kept her corn G.O.N.E. since January, no risk of infection, no recovery time except from the anaesthetic.

[Guest boondog]

I had Boon's surgically removed and it came back after only a few months. Personally, I wouldn't do it again. I hull and use Therapaws for hard surfaces, too.

 

[Guest MnMDogs]

I had Morky's surgically removed, and they were back in less than a year. I wouldn't do it again. We dremel them and use TheraPaws.

[Guest MomofSweetPotatoes]

We had one of Gus's removed. It took about 8 weeks before he could walkon the foot again, completely unbandaged, then he had about 4 months of relief. Then the stupid sucker started growing back by the 9 months (from the day of operation) point, the corn was in full bloom, so to speak.

For the level of discomfort he experienced, it just wasn't worth it.

[phall]

Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate hearing your thoughts and about your experiences. After reading through these replies and talking with some friends, I've decided not to have the corn surgically removed.

 

Pat

[Guest HersheysMom]

Hi Pat,

 

Sending hugs to Tally to carry him through tomorrow's appt.

[Finnsliz]

Had the surgery done here, came back within 6 months. I soak and hull them myself here.

[Guest AnnesMenagerie]

Ok - speak to me about 'hulling' - how do you do that - and with what?

 

I just had a corn surgically removed from my guy Jack this week - and, yes, he is VERY sore. The vet found a huge hole underneath the corn - so his pad is stitched together (the vote is out on whether they'll hold). I'll let you know how he does.

 

There was another spot on one of his hind leg pads - but it was soft - so the vet dremeled in down a bit - we'll see what happens with that one.

[Batmom]

Ok - speak to me about 'hulling' - how do you do that - and with what?

 

I just had a corn surgically removed from my guy Jack this week - and, yes, he is VERY sore. The vet found a huge hole underneath the corn - so his pad is stitched together (the vote is out on whether they'll hold). I'll let you know how he does.

 

There was another spot on one of his hind leg pads - but it was soft - so the vet dremeled in down a bit - we'll see what happens with that one.

 

Here ya go:

 

http://www.grassmere-animal-hospital.com/corn_hulling.htm

 

Dr. Feeman had this procedure published in Veterinary Medicine (I think that's the name -- a journal that most practices get for free) late last year or early this year.

 

I always had the vet do ours. No anaesthesia needed. I held dog, vet grabbed foot and hulled. Took a couple minutes. Once or twice there was a little drop of blood where he had to snip a thin attachment point, but no soreness and pretty much immediate relief after the procedure most times.

[kjw]

Zema had hers hulled. It kept coming back. Rather than surgically remove it and have to stitch the pad, my vet hulled it one last time -- the Grasmere way -- and then just barely touched the hulled surface with a laser. Under anaesthesia since she won't hold still for laser sorts of things . But. This has kept her corn G.O.N.E. since January, no risk of infection, no recovery time except from the anaesthetic.

 

 

Well, now you've got me thinking...wonder if my vet has a laser...