Dislocated Toe

[dante2zoe]

Zoe dislocated her "pinky" toe on her hind leg while playing with the lure pole today. The vet was concerned because the dislocation was bad enough to break the skin. He was able to put it back in place rather easily. He is also concerned that it will dislocate again since it snapped back so easily. He suggested that (after she has recuperated) we purchase some type of protection for the foot when she wants to get wild and crazy outside. Would Therapaws work? Would they be about to support the foot enough to help prevent a recurrence? Is there anything else out there that we could use? Suggestions appreciated. And, since I know the rules, a sympathy picture is below. She is pretty much out of it right now.

[Guest Energy11]

Well, I like your wrapping job! I would try a toddler sock and a Therapaw if you have them. With HUMANS we buddy take toes together, but I am not sure that would work here. Might want to see what the vet says on Monday. Booties surely couldn't hurt. Hope she feels better soon!

[Guest mcsheltie]

To keep it from dislocating again you will have to wrap it. Buy some Vet Wrap and wrap the toe to her foot. I hope you can see it in this picture. This is how we wrap for lure coursing. You won't need to go so high up the leg. That is done to protect the stop pad. Just a couple wraps around the foot will do to protect it. I can wrap a foot and send another picture if you'd like me too.

 

[Guest Energy11]

What a GREAT photo! Interesting that you wrap the feet then they run like that. I never knew, but then, mine don't lure :-)) Ya learn something everyday!

[dante2zoe]

Another picture of the wrapping would be appreciated. She is wrapped that way for now because the dislocation broke the skin and she has a few stitches and he is concerned about a bone infection. She did quite the number on herself! The vet was actually surprised that it was just dislocated. Visually, it looked like a compound fracture. Thanks for the suggestions!

[Guest sheila]

honestly if my dog had a toe that was that badly dislocated I would have it amputated. I had a dog that had such a severe dislocation and I wasted time and money with the wrapping etc and the toe eventually had to go. My dog never missed it.

[Batmom]

Here is how I wrapped Zema's: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/236108-dislocated-toe-our-wrap-job-which-worked/page__p__4146449__fromsearch__1entry4146449

 

Hers dislocated *towards* her foot, so just taping it to the toe next to it or wrapping from the outside didn't work.

[Guest KennelMom]

Some hounds are more prone to dislocations than others. The best thing you can do is keep nails short. I don't wrap toes for lure coursing - the dog's feet were designed by nature to work, so I don't interfere with that. Some dogs just don't have good feet. The only wrapping I may do is just to protect their legs against accidental contact with the line that can result in burns/cuts.

 

We've healed several dislocated toes of varying severity (three from lure coursing, three different dogs and 2 or 3 just from the yard or play group...Primo and Haley are ultra prone to dislocations)...for a normal dislocated toe that pops back in and heals up, there's really not much you would need to do moving forward. That toe may be more prone to dislocate in the future....the best thing you can do is make sure you are vigilant during the initial healing process. The more severe the dislocation, the harder it is to heal w/o a lot of scar tissue. When there's more scar tissue the toe can lose flexibility which can cause pain/arthritis. Melody pretty much destroyed every ligament in two of her toes - the toe literally looked like it was deflated, with no shape to it. We worked with an orthopedic specialist over about a year just to get her sound enough for every day pet life...and she occasionally has flare ups that require pain meds if she overdoes it while free running. But, we don't want to amputate if we don't have to. Like I said, though, that was a severe dislocation that resulted from a really bad tumble at the beginning of a lure course and then her sprinting on it for another 800 yards...so, yeah she pretty much demolished the toes running on adrenaline.

 

OTOH, Echo dislocated a toe a few months ago and she healed up beautifully - the toe is nice and straight with not a lot of scar tissue and she's been back out lure coursing a few times with no issues. She's always had great feet though. We've had various and sundry other dislocations and they all pretty much heal up with 6-8 weeks of rest and leash walks - the dogs can run in the yard, chase the lure pole and go to playgroup with no problem.

 

When you said that she broke the skin on the toe, do you mean the bone was sticking through the skin? Or she just tore the skin on the side of her toe that happened to also dislocate?

 

Make sure you and your vet are monitoring that wrapped foot...they can get pressure sores on their feet that can get pretty nasty.

Edited December 13, 2009 by KennelMom

[dante2zoe]

Kennelmom - thanks for your input. The e-vet is not sure what exactly caused the wound, but it is at the position where the dislocation was. Her toe dislocated outward, if that makes sense. Her nail was poking into the next toe and the toe looked "L" shaped. The skin was open at the bend. The area where they were playing with the lure pole is flat and stick/stone free. However, it is kind of muddy due to the weather that we have been having lately. Zoe had also broken her left hock racing, so naturally she has injured her right foot. The vet feels that the dislocation should heal well, but is concerned about the open wound so close to the wound, hence the huge wrap job. I am to take her to the vet either tomorrow or Tuesday for a wrap change/wound check. The whole support thing started because I have finally found something for her to do that she is nuts about and would hate to take it away from her. She is one of those dogs that really wants to play with others, but scares them off. The boys just run when she tries to instigate pla. He did suggest only haveing her chase the pole in a countclockwishe direction to help avoid stress on that foot, but that increases the stress on her bad leg. Joy. yl

[dante2zoe]

Crud. I was trying to fix my answer because I couldn't see what I was typing. I am just be very proactive. She could heal fine, but I am trying to weigh my options. I don't see a new to amputate at this time and it was not even suggested. This is my first experience with a dislocated toe. Thanks for your suggestions and advice, I do appreciate them. Zoe is hating the wrap and is acting like the princess brat that she is. She should be fine.

[Guest greytbookert]

oh poor Zoe! I have no experience with dislocated toes but I wanted to send hugs and kisses to pretty Zoe!

[Guest 3greysinPA]

Sending some hugs and healing prayers for Zoe...

[calif_chaz]

Sending some hugs and healing prayers for Zoe...

 

Maggie dislocated the same toe on a hind foot. She did not tolerate wrap or soft cast at all and we ended up using a therapaw to protect it after it was popped back in. Worked fine for her.

[Guest mcsheltie]

We started wrapping when coursing after several injuries. We had 2 dislocations on one day. And the field wasn't that bad. Both were pretty severe. But I took good care of them and they have been fine. We have also had line burns and stop pad burns. So we started wrapping. Haven't had any problems since then.

 

I'll take pictures of the wrap when I have some help and post them. The wrap I am talking about is a preventative one, after the healing is complete.

 

When wrapping to treat the dislocation I put cotton between their toes to prevent pressure sores. And if the bandage even gets damp it needs to be changed or their feet will get yucky. Like KennelMom said, it takes 6-8 weeks to heal.

[Guest MnMDogs]

We went through this with a foster - minus the broken skin. He was splinted and wrapped for 6 weeks and is now just fine (9 months later). His toe would just pop in and out very easily and the splinting seemed to have cured him

 

I would also suggest frequent splint wrap changes. They get sores and irritations on and between their toes pretty easily. I think we were on an every 5 day schedule. It was a pain in the butt, but I think it was worth it.