Broken Paw

[vjui]

This is one of my first times posting here, although I read this forum regularly and love this whole website. Last night, we let our 5 year old male grey, Nico, run, when he suddenly stopped short with his right front paw lifted up. We could feel the crepitus (crunching bones). Yech. Took him to the vet: he's fractured his right paw, 2nd digit (P2)--comminuted (bunch of little pieces). Currently he's in a splint up to his elbow (?) for the next 6 weeks. I know this is farly minor compared to what I've seen posted here, but I'm pretty upset & distressed over this injury. Nico has been so brave..the vet said he couldn't even elicit a whimper on palpation! But I know broken bones hurt (a LOT) and it breaks my heart to see him hobbling and limping! Help! Any suggestions on how to cope with this for 6 whole weeks???? Thanks.

[Guest Energy11]

Best thing to do is, keep him a quiet as possible and give pain meds like Deramaxx and Rimadyl. Hopefully, the vet gave you some. I am sorry to hear about this.

 

This is one of the many reasons, I do not allow mine to run. We walk regularly, and we have a large turnout pen, but we do not run. Sometimes, though, it cannot be helped. I am just "anal," about five running together, especially with ages ranging from 7-9.

 

Good luck and hugs to your baby! D

[Guest Energy11]

Best thing to do is, keep him a quiet as possible and give pain meds like Deramaxx and Rimadyl. Hopefully, the vet gave you some. I am sorry to hear about this.

 

This is one of the many reasons, I do not allow mine to run. We walk regularly, and we have a large turnout pen, but we do not run. Sometimes, though, it cannot be helped. I am just "anal," about five running together, especially with ages ranging from 7-9.

 

Good luck and hugs to your baby! D

[Guest Spencers_Greyt]

I'm so sorry that Nico broke his foot! Ouchie! I don't have any personal experience with it but I believe you should probably keep him quiet and probably crated so he's not walking too much on it. It's going to be a long 6 weeks unfortunately!

 

[Tallgreydogmom]

Is it a splint they can take off every week and look for rub spots and repad the splint? I had a greyhound with a hairline fracture that was in a splint. I took him in every week to have the him checked for sore spots and to put on new padding.

 

Hugs and kisses for Nico.

 

[Chicocat]

INSIST that it be checked every two weeks or SOONER if he shows any indication that it is hurting (more ) or if limping becomes more pronounced. You don't want him to develop pressure sores.

Edited August 10, 2009 by Chicocat

[Guest Cris_M]

People like you who know words like crepitus and cominuted also know how much it hurts. I am so sorry you and Nico are going through this.

 

My experience is that the first few days are the easiest. Then, your dog starts feeling better and hasn't gotten to exercise. All bets are off then, and a lot of hypervigilance will be needed on your part.

 

Here is what has helped me in similar circumstances:

1. Remove any chance of jumping -- even from a sofa.

2. Every walk is a leash walk -- even if you have a fenced back yard.

3. Get creative about relieving boredom. Try a Kong or one of the toys that dispenses treats irregularly.

4. Consider this an excellent time for training. Working his brain is pretty tiring, and we all know that a tired dog is a happy dog.

5. Do some really strange training. Teach him to like having his nails dremeled, his teeth brushed, or how to ring a bell to go potty.

6. Stock up on some long lasting chews. I like bully sticks, but some dogs can eat one in 20 minutes. That gets expensive. Find something that works for Nico.

7. If he has doggie friends, invite them to come over. Leashes may be required for this, but butt sniffing works just as well on a leash.

8. If he likes the car, go on a ride. He can't get out for a walk, but he'll still see things that are different from home.

9. Set up a schedule. It sounds crazy, but it helps. If he knows he goes on a ride every morning at 10, he gets to both anticpate it (helps keep his mind occupied) and stay calm. He knows something fun will happen and he knows when it will happen.

10. And I hesitate to even mention this. I would only use it as a last resort and I would use it as little as possible. Spread out the pain pills. A dog who feels too good doesn't realize he will injure himself. I'm not talking about him being in real pain. I'm talking about keeping him from feeling like a well, bouncy puppy. I really, really hope you never even have to consider this option.

 

Poor Nico and poor you. I hope recovery will be swift and complete.

[Guest kydie]

poor pup, Pain meds, can make them feel "all well" and that could sure be a problem, so, you must give the meds, so he is not in great pain, but is still careful with his paw, this has always been hard for me, I sure don't want mine limping, it makes you feel helpless, but you are sure on the right track for his care, these folks here can help so much Good luck

[Guest onegreydog]

So sorry to hear about this. I hope Nico is feeling better.

Our Laci was in a cast for 6 weeks with a broken leg after her sugery. She had to have screws.They changed the splint once a week

On the fourth week they left it on for two weeks. When they took it off it had rubbed her in four places. It was just awful. They were very deep. It took two weeks for those to heal.

Looking back I should have insisited that they change the splint once a week and check on her skin.

She had a hard time getting up & down. It was her back right leg.

This was last of Jan. and we had a lot of rain. I would wrap glad wrap all over it. I took some velcro green plant ties to hold it on. Then I put a baby sock on her. This helped from tearing the glad wrap. This kept her splint good & dry and clean. It never got dirty this way.

It was a long six weeks for sure.

I hope they gave him pain meds. If so he may not have a BM for a few days. Laci was 5 days before she went.

You two will get throught this.

I do not let Laci run loose in our yard anymore. She has had a broken leg, broken toe, and now a toe pad problem. So I keep her on a leash outside and on a pillow inside.

Please keep us posted.

[TheFullHouse]

Bullitt broke two toes on the same foot when he was 6 months old and was put in a cast up to his elbow. I think it helps in deterring them from running and jumping. It was checked every two weeks and the bandage changed. He did just fine.

[Guest mmehs]

poor pup!! beatrice ended up in a splint for seven weeks earlier this year (april-june). as in previous posts, have it looked at every couple of weeks, if not less. beatrice developed a skin infection/pressure sores and had to take more meds (in addition to pain). about a month after the splint was removed, i took her in again because there was one spot that lingered, and over-licking commenced; she had to go thru another round of meds. thankfully, it's finally all cleared up.

 

good luck, and have a speedy recovery.

[Guest GreysAndMoreGreys]

I'm with the crew of have that wrap changed at least once a week.

Rub sores and irritations can happen quick and if it's wrapped up it will get really nasty.

 

Even if the vet says, leave the wrap on for x amount of time, insist on a wrap change once a week.

Make sure they are padding between the toes and lots of cotton padding between the leg and hard plastic.

 

I've never understood a full leg wrap for a broken toe or foot. It baffles me but I'm not a vet.

[greyhounds1234]

Is he in a splint or a full on cast? Reason for asking is that if he is in a cast, you need to make sure it stays dry.

Also, I agree with the others about having the splint or cast changed regularly and be sure to check for any signs of redness or swelling.

 

One of my greys, Storm, broke the 4 bones across the top of her toes. The vet implanted two small rods in the outside two toes and that was supposed to help stablize the inside toes.

 

We leash-walked her for nearly 7 weeks with the cast and another 6 weeks when the cast was removed.

[Guest LindsaySF]

Good advice from Cris.

 

I'm sorry this happened. The hardest part will be restricting activity and doing leash-walking only for that long. Usually the dogs feel better before they are ready to resume normal activity.

 

 

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

Poor pup. Wishing an uneventful and speedy recovery!

[vjui]

Thank you to everyone who responded! Your suggestions and insights are soooo valuable. Nico went to his regular vet today just for a check. He was very complimentary about the splint and said everything looks good. I am taking your suggestions and having the splint re-wrapped every 5 days.

 

The biggest problem now is the normal, everyday stuff. Nico won't eat without a LOT of coaxing. The splint is so awkward and he works so hard when he walks that he sits down (lays down) every 5 steps or so. This, combined with the recommendation to keep him off his feet, means he has to be coaxed to pee and poop. It literally took about an hour and a half yesterday to get him to a point where he could poop. Posturing is not a problem... I think it's just lack of activity.

 

Is this all normal for an injury of this kind? Thanks again for all your help!

[Guest Flysmom]

Sending positive thoughts to you and Nico!

[greyhounds1234]

Yup, it's normal.

 

I'm sure he is uncomfortable with the splint and doesn't want to walk too much. Just give him some time to adjust to the splint and he'll do much better about taking care of the outside business.

With Storm, we made the mistake of letting her tell us when she had to go out the first few days after surgery and she ended up with a huge bladder infection right after she broke her foot. We decided that we would make her go out (leash-walked) pretty much on her usual schedule and we didn't have any more problems with UTI's.

She never would pee/poop before being leash-walked, so it was an adjustment for all of us.

[Guest argolola]

Poor little sweetie...I will pray.