Corns, Arthritis, Something Else?

[Guest brandi1530]

I'm new to here, but I really need some help. My greyhound has a pronounced limp from breaking his hock on the track three years ago. About two months ago, I took him into the vet because he was limping worse than usual. He gave him a cortisone shot and Previcox. Two weeks later, he's running around like a brand new dog. Then, about two weeks ago, he started limping really bad again. This past weekend it got the worst I've ever seen. Then, on Sunday he wouldn't use his front right paw (I've never seen him do this before). He wouldn't move off of his bed, he was miserable. I looked at his paws and noticed a little round white circle on the paw that he wouldn't put down. It was really hard and raised up off of the pad. When I took him to the vet the next day, the vet wouldn't even look at his foot and just said it was arthritis. Barney (my dog got another cortisone shot and more Previcox. Five days later, he's moving better, but still holding up that paw and limping really bad. I can't walk him further than a couple of houses down. He's been panting heavily all day and night (since before the cortisone shot). So today I took him to a very greyhound savvy vet. I mentioned corns and she told me that dogs don't get corns, it's called hyper_________, and it doesn't cause lameness. She started pressing around on his leg that he won't put down and he yelped when she got around the shoulder area. X-rays were done, bloodwork, everything looks normal. He's now on Tramadol as well, but still won't use his paw. Several days ago he would let me put an epsom salt wrap on his foot and Abreva, now if I sit down next to him he runs away. I know there's something going on with his should area, and that needs to be treated, but I'm not completely convinced that his paw isn't really bothering him as well. If the paw is causing problems, I'd like to take care of it and maybe the shoulder issue wouldn't be as bad.

 

Any advice or recommendations would be helpful. Oh, I almost forgot. I emailed Ohio State today because I have vet to find a greyhound vet in my area that has treated corns. They have offered to look at the corns and teach me how to remove them.

 

Below are a couple of pictures of the paw. He wasn't very cooperative in this process, but you can kind of see what I'm talking about.

G:\DCIM\100CASIO

 

 

 

I'm obviously having a problem posting pictures of the foot. Any advice there would be helpful as well.

Edited June 14, 2008 by brandi1530

[RobinM]

Repost the picture by coping the image link from photobucket. It should have the IMG at the beginning and at the end.

 

I don't know a whole lot about corns but I do know that dogs sure do get them and from what I understand they cause immense pain.

 

Who did the x-ray and was he awake or asleep? the reason I am asking is because if he was awake, they couldn't manipulate him into positions to get various angles. What does the vet think is going on?

 

I agree that I think there is something up. not sure what. Maybe like you said the shoulder and the paw. Poor baby.

 

Hope you get the help you need.

Edited June 14, 2008 by RobinM

[Guest MnMDogs]

Mork has corns on 3 feet. The first one appeared on the left front where he's missing a toe, and has arthritis in that shoulder. So I can see how it would be hard to determine what's causing it. However, when Mork has his therapaws on (www.TheraPaw.com - I highly recommend them), he has barely any limp. But when he's not wearing them, he's very hobbled.

 

If you're comfortable doing it, you can try to dremel the corn down flat so that it causes less pain. For right now, I would order a TheraPaw asap. Call and tell them that it's for a rescued racer and you'll get 5 dollars off. It also helps to keep the pad soft with bag balm (I use it under the booties).

 

Also, print this out and bring it to your vet Corn Hulling Do NOT let them go too deep, make it clear that this should not cause pain, and see if the vet thinks the corn can be hulled. Mork's can only be done under sedation since he absolutely hates it. But when it was done correctly, the vet said they popped right out and they didn't bleed at all.

 

Good luck with this.

 

I just have to add, I think there are several of us on here who will disagree with the vet who said dogs don't get corns/warts...whatever. If that were true, my life would certainly be much much easier.

Edited June 14, 2008 by MnMDogs

[Guest azlorenz]

Ditto

 

Once the corns/warts show up they never seem to get rid of them permanently. It is a constant battle.

[Guest brandi1530]

The x-ray was done while he was awake, and no they could not get him to go on his back to get an image from that side. I've looked at the Therapaw boots, but he flat out refuses to put anything on his feet. He starts bucking and rearing like a wild horse until it comes off. I think I'm going to take him to Ohio State and let them look at the corn. Ok, I think I have the picture thing figured out. Here's one picture.

 

 

He was awake during the x-ray, and they couldn't get him on his back, so no they didn't get all the pictures. I've looked into the Therapaw boots, but unfortunately the dog refuses to wer anything on his legs or feet. He starts bucking and rearing like a wild horse until he gets it off.

 

I think I finally got the picture posted. It's not very good, he's only letting me so close right now.

 

[CaliforniaGreys]

Mork has corns on 3 feet. The first one appeared on the left front where he's missing a toe, and has arthritis in that shoulder. So I can see how it would be hard to determine what's causing it. However, when Mork has his therapaws on (www.TheraPaw.com - I highly recommend them), he has barely any limp. But when he's not wearing them, he's very hobbled.

 

If you're comfortable doing it, you can try to dremel the corn down flat so that it causes less pain. For right now, I would order a TheraPaw asap. Call and tell them that it's for a rescued racer and you'll get 5 dollars off. It also helps to keep the pad soft with bag balm (I use it under the booties).

 

Also, print this out and bring it to your vet Corn Hulling Do NOT let them go too deep, make it clear that this should not cause pain, and see if the vet thinks the corn can be hulled. Mork's can only be done under sedation since he absolutely hates it. But when it was done correctly, the vet said they popped right out and they didn't bleed at all.

 

Good luck with this.

 

I just have to add, I think there are several of us on here who will disagree with the vet who said dogs don't get corns/warts...whatever. If that were true, my life would certainly be much much easier.

Ditto every word of this. If you dremel the corn, put either the Abreva or bag balm on it and keep it soft. I would love to talk to a vet who claims dogs don't get corns!!!

[Batmom]

Looks like a big ol' corn in your picture.

 

Try telling Zema -- and her vet -- that dogs don't get corns!

 

Hulling is the way to go. No anaesthesia needed, no dropping dog off and come back later. Takes 3 minutes max, and usually brings instant relief.

 

My vet had never seen a corn in 20+ years of practice. I took him the Grassmere article someone linked above. He read it, followed the procedure, was thrilled that "It worked just like they said in the article!"

 

Good luck.

[Guest brandi1530]

I've brought in the Grassmere articles and the Ohio State vet newsletter that talks about corns. Neither vet would listen or even look at them. I've been sick at my stomach all week watching him in pain. I think I'm going to drive him to OSU next week (two hours away) because that's the closest place I can find that will acknowledge they get corns. They offered to show me how to hull it as well. Hopefully if I can get some pain relief from the corn being gone, the should won't hurt as bad.

[Guest MnMDogs]

Regarding the TheraPaw, he'll get used to it. Mork did the same thing back in the good ole days of having just one corn. He refused to put his foot down for over a week, and only gave in when I would lift up his right paw to force him to put the left one down. When he started having to wear them on his back feet, he mule kicked for the first part of the walks every day for well over a week.

 

He will get used to it.

[turbotaina]

You need to find another vet. Greyhounds do get corns and you've got plenty of good advice here. I'd be pretty ticked off that my vet wouldn't read PEER REVIEWED veterinary articles. I've got a corn dog myself and his corns cause him A LOT of pain. What we do is use tramadol for the pain and therapaws for the walks. You should get two therapaws and put them on both feet (I think you said your dog's corn is on the front, yes? So you'd use the boots on both front feet - I find they acclimate better this way).

Edited June 14, 2008 by turbotaina

[lothianjavert]

I sure wish they didn't get corns! Sully has a nice big ol' one on his foot, and yes, they can certainly cause major lameness and limping!

 

The pic you posted looks a lot like a corn. Actually, looks a lot like Sully's corn! Sully's will get to the point where he won't bear weight on the foot and will hobble on 3 legs.

 

The hulling procedure really does work, and it is quick and bloodless, no anaesthesia needed, and it provides a good deal of relief.

 

I understand your problem about finding a vet that will listen-- I have the same problem here, and am still looking for a vet that I like since my old vet retired. Part of it probably has to do with my somewhat rural location. Attitudes are really different here in general.

 

What helps us is keeping the corn soft and filed down (some people dremel it down too, same process, dremel just does it faster) and also periodically if I soak his foot long enough, usually I can just pop the corn out. It's just like the hulling procedure, but just with my fingernail since the pad has softened and the corn starts to separate a bit on its own. Luckily Sully is easygoing, and while he doesn't care for it, he tolerates it, especially because he'll get lots of lovins' afterwards.

 

Boots are also a major recommendation. It can take a while for them to get used to them. Sully did NOT like his at first. I started w/ 1 therapaw. I probably should have purchased two so he wouldn't be so focused on just the ONE foot. He got it off and managed to kill it. I ended up trying again, though I bought a different boot to buy, neo-paws (same idea, provide padding for the corn foot) and purchased a pair of them, so both front feet would have boots. He didn't like them at first, but got used to them quickly when he realized boots = walks (he loves his walks, so the boots quickly became associated with a good thing!). They stay on very well, and he could not take his long walks without them. His corn foot would hurt too much. I can't recommend trying boots enough. It has really helped us here!

 

[Guest chigal950]

Looks like a corn to me. Excuse me but..."stupid vets!". You shouldn't have to make the big drive all the way to OSU for this. But anyway, relief should be very quick and if its not too deep you'll probably be able to do it yourself in the future.

 

Caden gets them intermittently, one on each hind foot. They tend to surface around the same time, and it seems to me when he has been under stress.

 

Good luck!