Question For Those With Amputate-toe Hounds

[Guest MnMDogs]

Mork has an amputated front toe (one of the middle digits), and it's been that way since I got him. He also has a corn on the adjacent toe, and it's hard to differentiate what causes the discomfort sometimes - the corn or the toe. But he has corns on 2 other paws, and this paw is the only one he regularly holds up. Even with the corn hulled, he favors that foot unless a TheraPaw is on.

 

His toe is amputated to the first knuckle, and I assumed that was normal. Then I just saw a pic on here of a hound with what appeared to be an amputated toe up to the second knuckle - or right up to the foot itself (at least that's what it looked like). Does anyone know what is normal? I'm almost 100% certain that the amputation causes as much discomfort as the corn. But that doesn't seem like it should be the case, since I know a lot of folks have hounds with amputated toes that seem to have no problem. Just wondering where the toe was taken off.

 

Thanks in advance

[Guest EmbersDad]

ember had her outside toe removed due to a recurring deep dermatitis that would heal and rupture again a few weeks later. i think they took the entire toe, and it does not bother her one bit. the middle toes are the ones that carry the brunt of the weight. here's a pic of her foot.

 

[Guest HutchKC]

Payton goes in tomorrow morning to have the first digit of her outside back toe amputated. It was broken at some point and never set. Her nail began to grow into the adjacent toe causing an abrasion, severe discomfort, and a bad attitude. The vet initially thought at over time we could "teach" the nail to grow correctly with bandaging, but once he saw the xray, he changed his mind. Besides her tail being broken at 90 degrees and never fixed, I guess this toe shouldn't surprise me that much.

 

Anyway, it will be the first knuckle that is removed. Over the next few weeks I'll see whether she is bothered by it or not.

[Hubcitypam]

Bucks is at the first knuckle.

[Guest MnMDogs]

Well, there goes that theory! Thanks for the replies I was hoping I finally came to the bottom of the bum front left foot - it seems much worse than just the corn, but it's probably not.

 

ETA- Thanks for the pic too - I was hoping that was the norm (entire toe removed) so I'd have my answer.

Edited December 2, 2008 by MnMDogs

[cello]

Specky's is at the first knuckle, but I wish that they had taken the entire toe. Without the bottom joint, the toe sometimes sort of 'falls' down and rubs the surrounding digits.

Carol Ann

[Batmom]

Could be there is some callus built up around the corn and that that is causing some discomfort even after the corn is hulled. If there is, it'll feel like a hard ridge all around the corn. It can be trimmed/dremeled back; might bleed just a little.

[Guest MnMDogs]

Could be there is some callus built up around the corn and that that is causing some discomfort even after the corn is hulled. If there is, it'll feel like a hard ridge all around the corn. It can be trimmed/dremeled back; might bleed just a little.

 

I don't *think* that's it since it doesn't appear any different from his other 3 corns, and this is the only paw that he favors like this - as much as I can tell on a dog with 3 bum feet! I do try to keep it smooth and dremeled, this one grows so fast!

 

[Beautybabe]

I hope you continue to update us on your boy Mork. So many corns. So many bad toes. Hard to know what to do.

 

[4greyhounds]

Pongo is missing a toe and he has been since we got him and he never has a problem!

[greysmom]

When Dude broke his toe last May the surgeon told me that they needed to take all the toe back to inside the foot - I think that would be up to the third joint but I'm not sure. His was the outside middle toe on his back right foot (if that makes sense). There is no remnant of that toe remaining, just a sort of space that is gradually becoming less obvious as his foot changes shape, adapting to the missing toe.

 

She said otherwise the remaining part of the toe bone would keep getting irritated and jostled by repeatedly hitting the groud as Dude walks and runs. His surgery went fine and he now has no problems whatsoever. Except when he tries to scratch his ear with that foot and pokes himself with his long toenail! GSOD time!!! He can run and play and dig and do everything he used to do with no pain or discomfort.

 

I would think that's what's happening to Mork. The corn doesn't help, but he might be feeling pain from his remaining toe bones getting bumped and bruised. If the Therapaw works and he doesn't mind it, I would just have him wear it all the time, especially outside. Otherwise, another surgery to remove the rest of the toe might help him or might not depending on his age, activity level, and general health.

 

greysmom

[Guest MnMDogs]

Thanks for the additional replies - I am fairly convinced that he is experiencing irritation on that remaining bone, even though it doesn't seem like the "norm" from the posts, but Greysmom post really makes me think there's something to it.

 

I wouldn't opt to have the toe taken off fully - this boy goes through enough at the vet with his PRA, severe dry eye, arthritis corns and bad teeth. We'll just keep on doing what we're doing. I've just always wondered why that one paw, when the other front has large corns on 2 of his pads, provides more problems than that one.

 

Nothing seems to go easy for our Mork man, but he is nothing if not a trooper - and I have to remember these are all relatively benign maladies for him to have.

[ABCgreys]

Callie just had a toe amputated a week ago today. The vet removed it all the way at the top, where it attached to her foot. He told me he did this since the stub would "flop around and irrate her" if he only removed the first joint.

[duncan41]

Would a protective boot help? I have one with a mystery limp and her TheraPaw boot makes all the difference when we go for our walks. Sending our best thoughts and prayers for Mork-man! Feel better, big guy!

[kjw]

My Romi had his inside toe on his rear foot taken off, the whole thing. It was the only foot without corns, but he's having no trouble at all - my own research said to take the whole toe.

 

I'm thinking that because Mork has more weight distributed across less toes on that foot, the corn causes him more pain on that foot, and also the additional weight is causing the corn to grow more quickly.

[Rustyroo]

Solo's outside toe is removed all the way to his foot. He had it done before I even got him.

[lothianjavert]

I don't have any idea if the amputation could cause him more pain or not, but it's interesting. Amputation has been suggested for Sully's whopper of a corn, but I wonder if it would just cause more problems.

 

He often holds the foot up and will 3 leg it. He has booties for walks (which help greatly) and booties for the house, but the house booties usually end up in odd places in the yard... or stuffed under a dog bed . They just don't stay on well unless they are so tight that they cut off circulation.

 

He has the overgrowth/callus area around the corn that we keep filed down. It also causes pain-- it seems like it can be just as bad as the corn! They both grow so quickly that hulling/filing are now pretty much weekly.

 

Gads... I never would have thought that something so small could cause such an issue. Hugs to you and Mork

I know too that corns are "minor" and I'm also thankful that it's not something bad, but when you see your pup limping and holding up a foot despite all you try, it's frustrating.

[Ruth]

Tess has had 2 toes amputated. One on left back foot and the outside toe on right front foot , like Embers. He took the toes all the way up to the foot because he said that would be the most comfortable for her. Any lower and it would flop and irritate her. She has no problems and is fine.

 

Ruth

[turbotaina]

Carol, we've had two fosters amputated - one for a chronic dislocation and one for a poorly healed break (the P-3 was at a right angle to the other toes). In both cases, the toe was removed in its entirety.

[Guest MnMDogs]

Well, I guess that floppy partial toe is probably causing more problems... Poor Mork man now his smallest corn on his back paw is giving him significant pain from what I can tell. I have to wonder if it's growing in? It seems to be causing him more and more pain.

 

Those booties for indoor use?? I also have the problem of keeping them on in the house. Until last night... I put it on way too tight on his rear right. It stayed on all night... His poor foot swelled up so big when I took it off.

[Guest GREYTGLITTER]

Gigi had her right rear outside toe amputated this summer. The vet took it off all the way to her foot to keep it from flopping around.

 

She runs around like a tornado now - when the mood hits her