Medical Update On Beth

[PrairieProf]

I got some very good news on Beth today, who was found in bloodwork about a month ago for persistent digestive issues to have a very high TLI, putting her near the border of pancreatitis -- after a month of Flagyl and eating Hill's I/D, we retested her and her new results came back -- her TLI is now right in the middle of the normal range (normal is 5-35 with over 35 being acute pancreatitis -- a month ago she was at 33.8 and now she's down to 14.9). So I'm very happy about that. We're tapering down the Flagyl slowly, and she's going to stay on I/D for a while yet since she's doing very well on it and we don't want to mess with her system until we're 100% sure she stays stable once she's off Flagyl entirely. What a relief to know she's out of the danger zone, though.

 

BUTTT I got this report from the vet in person because I unexpectedly took her in this morning -- somehow she got a cut on her right front inner toe, right above the pad. I assume she probably got it running at the park or as we left the park, but it only seemed to open up when I took her out for a pee mid-morning -- she started limping and then I looked down and saw fresh blood. It was bleeding a good bit so I rushed her to the vet to check, and at first he thought it needed a couple of stitches -- it's apparently about a 1 cm. slice, not an abrasion. But then he decided that if I kept her mostly on crate rest for a day it would probably close up on its own if I didn't mess with it. So we're trying that, but meanwhile I had to take her out midday and she's limping so badly, I'm terribly upset -- I've never really seen her in pain before and it just unhinges me. Wondered if it could be anything else than the cut causing it, but there's little reason to believe that's the case. I can imagine it might be several days before we can do more than the briefest walks needed for her to do her business.....

Edited April 13, 2011 by PrairieProf

[sabrina]

Glad for the good news Beth & I hope your cut heals w/o complications

[tbhounds]

Glad to here the news--- but, just to clarify-- was it a TLI test or a Spec CPL test that your vet ran today? The Spec checks for pancreaitis. Sorry about her about her boo boo- it is really tough to see them with an owie!

Edited to add -- I love her name!!!!!

Edited April 13, 2011 by tbhounds

[Batmom]

I'd keep an eye on the foot but try not to stress over it. Sometimes even a little cut on a foot is quite ouchy to the dog, depending on flexion, walking in prickly grass, etc. If you have any baby socks, that might make walking outdoors a little comfier for her.

 

Glad to hear her innards are better!

[PrairieProf]

It was a TLI she had both times. We did it initially along with the test for SIBO as we were trying to figure out what was wrong with her GI system, and it was high -- we hadn't been looking for pancreatitis specifically. Apparently under 5 on the TLI = EPI, over 35 can be malnutrition, renal failure, or acute pancreatitis, and we know she doesn't have either of the first two conditions. So she was sort of at a "code orange" pancreatic level, and apparently the TLI is what the vet wants to keep retesting to monitor her. She had a Spec cPL test once before when I took her to an e-vet for acute vomiting, but it was negative then.

 

Can't take any credit for her name, but I'm glad you like it!

Edited April 13, 2011 by PrairieProf

[DesiRayMom]

Hugs & Kisses for your beautiful Beth. Hope her owie is much better in the morning!

[PrairieProf]

Here's a photo of the foot injury. It gets bloodier when she walks, but doesn't seem to be bleeding onto the ground -- so, seeping I guess. She is still limping a lot, especially when she breaks into a trot! Again, though it doesn't show well, the actual injury is a clean slice.

 

Edited April 13, 2011 by PrairieProf

[Guest zombrie]

Great news! Sorry about the cut, though. Foot injuries are the worst. Can you wrap it so it doesn't open up and irritate it every time she walks?

 

ETA also make sure she isn't licking it. Mira is famous for making a little cut 100x worse for obsessively "cleaning" it.

Edited April 13, 2011 by zombrie

[Houndtime]

Idol got a cut like that when we were taking a walk. I think she must have clipped some glass. I kept her foot clean and covered with a baby sock which I taped and vet wrapped to her leg. When we went out, we booted her. I took about two weeks to heal good. I didn't want her to lick and open it up.

 

Good luck with Beth.

[PrairieProf]

My vet said it wasn't a problem if she licked it and didn't tell me to wrap it -- I think he wanted it to have air to help clot? I'm feeling really confused. How do you wrap -- down covering all the toes?

 

She licked it some earlier today, but doesn't seem to be obsessing about it now.

Edited April 14, 2011 by PrairieProf

[MerlinsMum]

Sorry to hear about the cut, Anne, but what FANTASTIC news about the TLI!

 

Hope she heals up quickly It must be the day for toe injuries because Merlin now appears to have a cut on his front right foot too,and he keeps licking it!

[Guest zombrie]

As long as she isn't obsessive about it, it should be fine, just watch it to make sure she isn't irritating it. We always know when Mira has been licking, it get red and angry looking.

As for wrapping, I would start off with what houndtime said with the sock. We kept a sock on Whisper's foot with tape wrapped around the top (not too tight) when she had an awful sore from her cast, it was able to get air but it kept it from opening up and getting irritated

[KF_in_Georgia]

If you have to put any sort of vet wrap on her foot, you'll wrap the whole foot--not just the cut toe. But before you wrap, put cotton between all her toes so the nail from one toe won't rub a sore on the next toe. Can't tell you all the horror stories I've heard about wrapped but unpadded toes, even when the bandaging was done by the vet's office. You can use cotton balls or those flat, cosmetic squares folded over for extra padding.

 

Meantime, if she licks at it, try spraying her foot with Bactine spray. It helps keep an injury clean, it doesn't sting, and I've heard that it will numb her tongue if she tries to lick it...not a permanent hardship, of course, but enough to discourage her from continuing to lick.

[Cully]

:clap on the test results. on cut

[PrairieProf]

I think I'm going to try Bactine and the sock -- just went out and got those. The taping scares me that I won't do it right without guidance.

 

And of course it's just started to rain (and is supposed to rain a lot the next few days). I assume I could put a rubber Pawz boot on to keep the area dry -- soggy socks don't sound like a good idea.

[Houndtime]

I didn't bandage her wound. I just socked her and taped about half way up the sock to hold it on and vet wrap at the top. Tape in about three different places to hold it.

[Batmom]

Yes, or just the Pawz for outside, sock for inside if needed. If she's leaving it alone, wouldn't need the sock indoors.

 

Foot things do take longer to heal because the dog is always putting pressure on them. It'll likely feel better in a few days.

 

 

[PrairieProf]

Thanks everyone. It's still oozy and worries me a lot. And of course as Batmom suggests it does seem to bleed some again every time she stands up and walks (though not enough that she's leaving real blood spots around).

 

OK, so clarification question -- what size toddler socks is one looking for? I just got some that were at Walgreens on sale (Disney motifs!) because I didn't want to drive all the way to Target or someplace tonight. But these seem like toddler anklets and don't come high enough to tape very securely. Hmm, I guess I need the cuffed kind? Well, I'll look tomorrow though it would be late afternoon before I could get them home.

Edited April 14, 2011 by PrairieProf

[Guest zaylea]

You might want to clean out the boo boo with some Hexadene Flush before you spray on the Bactine. It's wonderful stuff because it doesn't sting and my dogs never even flinch. I've never seen it in a store, but you can probably buy some from your vet. It's also on amazon here:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Hexadene-Flush-12-oz/dp/B000O5HZ4A

[krissn333]

Actually Anne what I do when the kids need to wear socks...I use the little velcro strips that you buy at like Office Max or Staples...they're used to organize computer cords, etc.

 

I put the sock on and then wrap the velcro strip around the ankle directly above the foot, so that it won't creep down because it's tighter than will fit around the foot, KWIM? (keeping the sock between the leg and the velcro thingy). Then I fold the top of the sock over the velcro thing.

 

Wish you lived closer - I'd be happy to give a bandaging tutorial

 

I think I usually buy baby socks as opposed to toddler socks, btw.

[PrairieProf]

I could definitely use the tutorial! Maybe what I got are baby socks -- it didn't really say, and kid feet is something I know nothing about. It said "2-4" and "size 4-7" though. But again, I think they're meant to be very low.

 

I got waterproof bandaging tape, and I think that will work oK.

[krissn333]

Yep, just tape in the same spot that I would put the velcro thingies. Of course don't get it too tight, but, don't be afraid to get it tight enough so that it will stay put

 

I think you're good on the baby socks as far as size goes

[PrairieProf]

Things definitely seem improved this morning ... when I took her sock off the cut looked basically closed up and dry. I put some liquid bandage stuff on it to help keep it from reopening when she got up. There was a small amount of oozing when we got in from our short walk, but much less than yesterday. And the limping is about 70% less this morning, even when Beth trots! She isn't bothering the cut, but is back in her Disney Princess sock.

Edited April 14, 2011 by PrairieProf

[Guest june]

Glad to hear Beth is healing well. I always worry about my girls when they get hurt too.

june