Behavior During Rehab

[Guest ronansmom]

Ronan had a front foot toe amputated about three weeks ago. His foot has been bandaged since then. He has favored the foot to the point where he resists putting in down in the house although he walks on it (with a limp) outside. Up until yesterday my sons carried him down the stairs. The bandage is due to come off in three days. The surgeon has already removed the stitches and said the foot is healing. It seems to me that Ronan has developed some kind of "issue." the biggest sign is that his zest for eating has dimenished recently. He resists leaving my bedroom. My question is at this point to I push him back to normal activities? Walking down the stairs (with assistance) and adding his usual third walk during the day?

[DaisyDoodle]

I would change the bandage. If there is some rubbing or other problem, it can create a hot spot, even to the point of infection. If you change the bandage, you can check for problems, and change where the uncomfortable bits are just by applying a new bandage.

 

It took Daisy several weeks to walk completely normally after her toe amp. First she walked on that foot, but her gait was still not quite right. Now her gait is good and she's back to running.

[Guest ronansmom]

The bandage has been changed several times. Helps to know it took some time for your girl to get back to a regular gait.

[greysmom]

Dude had a back toe amp and was bandaged extra long due to an infection. He learned to tripod so well it actually took him several months after he was healed to use his back leg normally again. It's probably the bandage that is keeping him from using the foot normally - it feels weird and isn't stable and it's just easier to not use it at all.

 

See what happens after the bandage is finally removed and then see.

[kudzu]

My girl's had several toe injuries. Anytime there is a bandage she limps horribly regardless of who bandaged it. When there is just a baby sock on she is fine though. The injury that required the longest bandaging time also resulted in a prolonged off & on limp after recovery. From personal experience I can tell you it takes a while to relearn how to use your muscles the same way you used to. It comes in time though. Hopefully that is all that is happening with him.

[Guest Swifthounds]

Which toe was it? If it was weight bearing it can take a while to heal, especially where it's on the weight bearing end of the dog (front).

 

In contrast, with my Comet, who had an inside rear toe amp, he was out of stitches after 7 days and out of the bandage after 4 more - and he was 13 at that time.

 

The bandage, splint, or cast for injuries can be more stressful for the hound and sometimes also more painful than the injury itself.

 

Comet three footted a lot until the bandage was off and then not at all. The longer it goes unused the more time it will take to rebuild atrophied muscle and return to a normal gate.

 

Trojan had a bandaged foot for a broken rear toe and was in a bandage for longer than Comet with the amp. Let's just say at 14 and with a weak rear, three footing for that long wasn't feasible. We compromised by putting a thin boot with a suade patch on the bottom for traction during periods where he was up and around and he used all fours. It couldn't be on all the time because the bandaged foot needed to breathe, but it helped him use the foot some of the time.

[GeorgeofNE]

I agree--it's probably the bandage that's bothering him. See how he does when it's removed.

 

Considering how well Greyhounds do on three legs, I wouldn't think losing a toe would really cause that many problems.

[Batmom]

Re eating: Is he still taking any meds such as pain meds or antibiotics? Those can have an effect on the appetite.

 

My angel Zema had a leg bandaged for several weeks due to a different kind of injury. It took her a couple of weeks after the bandage came off to fully use the leg 100% of the time. It felt funny to her, and she had gotten used to holding that leg up.