Chase's Mystery Swollen Toe

[Tracey]

Chase has a swollen toe. Left front leg, third toe in. The joint is swollen to twice its normal size. He's not limping, the toe is not red, nor abnormally warm to the touch. It doesn't seem to be bothering him at all; it's just swollen and just at the joint. I've touched it and looked at it all over and can't see anything that would point to a cause. And when I manipulate it Chase doesn't react at all. I unfortunately can't take a picture of it right now as I have camera issues, but I was wondering if anyone has had experience with anything similar and if so, what it was? I'll be calling the vet, but probably won't get him in for a day or two. I have to make sure that the vet he actually likes is able to see him. Anyway, in the meantime I would appreciate any input. Thanks!

[macoduck]

Does it look like Gracie's toe? here

She had no pain, no limp. What also caught my attention was the funky growth at the base of the toenail. While she was sedated for a dental the vet withdrew a lot of blood from that toe. They said there was a yeast infection. The nail thingy could be SLO or pemphigus. She had a course of medications, including a topical. The toe went down to normal size and has now swollen again. She has one of a front foot that has swollen now and it too gives her no problems.

So, still a mystery of sorts. We did not do xrays but I wish we had.

[Tracey]

Thanks for posting the photo of Gracie's toe. Chase's toe actually does not look like that at all. The section of his toe between the nail and the joint looks completely normal. It's only the joint that's swollen and not at all red.

[Guest BiancasMom]

Bianca has a toe like this as well. She dislocated it two times (that I know of) and the knuckle is bigger than the rest. She is not painful either and I can manipulate it as well. Maybe the toe got dislocated when running in the yard? Bianca's happened when she was just playing with stuffies indoors.

[Guest KennelMom]

are you sure it hasn't always been that way and you're just noticing? We have a lot of nobby jointed pups - just healed over dislocations from their racing/lure coursing or just from playing in the yard. If not, it could just be a fresh dislocation that popped right back in and you'll see some swelling, but not necessarily any pain or even heat. The difference is old wounds tend to be hard/firm and new ones are softer/squishy.

 

I'd just "wait and see"...if you want to do something, you can soak it in cold water or apply a cold compress for 10 minutes several times a day to see if that helps bring swelling down.

[kudzu]

I've got a girl with two knobby knuckles on one foot, one on each outer toe of her front left foot. These are from subluxations. As others have mentioned these joints basically dislocate and then pop back into place. You don't see them dislocated but it leaves some residual swelling. Over time these repeat events have produced permanently enlarged joints.

 

It happens when she is playing running fast and turning. At the point when it happens it hurts her but afterwords does not appear to. It results in something that sounds almost identical to what you are describing. I would want my vet to look at it but I wouldn't be rushing over there or panicking.

 

Hope it turns out to be something mild. Fingers crossed.

[Tracey]

are you sure it hasn't always been that way and you're just noticing? We have a lot of nobby jointed pups - just healed over dislocations from their racing/lure coursing or just from playing in the yard. If not, it could just be a fresh dislocation that popped right back in and you'll see some swelling, but not necessarily any pain or even heat. The difference is old wounds tend to be hard/firm and new ones are softer/squishy.

 

I'd just "wait and see"...if you want to do something, you can soak it in cold water or apply a cold compress for 10 minutes several times a day to see if that helps bring swelling down.

 

Heather, after Cosmo's osteo, we're kind of obsessive about any changes in the dogs' anatomies, particularly with respect to legs, feet and toes. Both Jason and I are sure that Chase's toe was not like this before. I first noticed it looked a bit weird Sunday night, during the blizzard. It is entirely possible he did something to it while trying to navigate the yard. He also uses his front feet to jump on door when he wants in, so that might have done it as well.

 

The joint does have the softer/squishy feel. As far as wait and see, assuming a dislocation is what it is, how soon should the swelling abate? I would rather avoid the vet if I can. Chase is a big baby and gets rather unhappy about being made to go to the vet, particularly if he has to see the doctor he doesn't like.

[gazehund]

Dodger is my "toe" boy here and the one who does some amateur racing. He had a toe similar to what you are describing in Chase, the difference being Dodger was most definitely lame on his. The swelling went down in about 48 hours IIRC. DD is not a wuss in any way, but he does

not care for having his feet touched. I just left him alone and he was fine.

[Guest KennelMom]

I'd give it...oh....3-4 days for the swelling to go down. we've had some puffy toes of unknown origin and it's been a dislocation that just popped back in. If there's heat or increase in pain, I'd be apt to take him in but absent that, I'd take the wait/see approach.

 

IIRC, Care of the racing greyhound recommends soaking in cold water for the first 36 hours or so b/c that's the time frame when it will be most effective at cooling the inflammation. Sometimes we do the soaking, sometimes we don't.

 

eta: I'd leash walk and try to keep him from doing zoomies or playing crazy in the house. You don't want to re-aggravate the injury.

Edited December 29, 2010 by KennelMom

[Guest snakes]

We have two arthritic toes here, one per dog! One was always there and seems to just be plain old arthritis. The other came out all fo a sudden, possibly with some trauma due to her antics Neither has much pain, they favor the foot a bit but nothing badly unless is rains more than three days. Both joint it is only the joint itself that is larger than the other toes, it is hard and not painfull to the touch, i had them both xrayed jsut to make sure, but we just started glycoflex and keep an eye on it. They don't mind them too much and the only other alternative was amputation which seemed excessive since it wasn't affecting thier walking/running.