Good Vet For Treating Corns In Ma?

[Guest MeganR]

Does anyone have a recommendation in MA for a vet who is experienced treating corns? I've called most of the places on the vet list and visited Windhover in Walpole (which I wouldn't recommend), as well as Healthy Paws in Westborough (recommended to me by Greyhound Friends).

 

My 8 y.o. boy, Fennel, got his first corn a couple months ago and it's been seriously difficult to find a vet who has any real experience treating them. We've called most of the vets in a 50 mile radius and asked if they have any experience; those few who claim to know about corns insisted that surgery under full anesthesia is the only treatment.

 

We finally had Fennel's corn hulled (@ Healthy Paws) under mild sedation (butorphinol?) 8 days ago, but his lameness hasn't improved and he seemed really out of it, refused food and water, and vomited for several hours after we brought him home (the vet swears this isn't a side-effect of the sedation though). Now, Fennel's corn looks to have completely returned, so I'm wondering if it was done correctly - if it was, hulling probably isn't the option for us, as he seemed to get no relief before it fully reemerged.

 

I would really like to find a vet who is more knowledgeable about this specific ailment and all the treatment options, as it seems neither Windhover nor Healthy Paws had ever worked with corns, though they had other experience treating greyhounds.

 

I'd appreciate any suggestions, we live in MA, but are pretty close to RI and parts of CT and don't mind traveling - I just want to get some help for Fennel.

[rascalsmom]

I don't live in MA, but I do have a dog with corns on three feet.

 

Hulling can sometimes give them temporary relief, but in my experience, there is NOTHING that gets rid of corns. Some things I've tried:

--special cream from Murray Ave. Apothecary

--bee propolis

--bag balm

--hulling

--duct tape

 

None makes the corns go away permanently. My vet has suggested surgery on the worst one, but she admits that they come back "about 50% of the time" after surgery. NOT good enough odds.

 

What we are doing now is giving Jack generic Rimadyl twice daily. That's it. In light of my Ruby's accident six weeks ago, Jack's corns have largely been ignored (I was using duct tape and trying to dig them out myself at the time), and he is really no worse since then.

 

Good luck. Corns are the work of the devil!!

Edited May 25, 2011 by rascalsmom

[cacky]

Have you tried Dr Moses at Roberts animal hospital in Hanover,Ma. That's where I bring my boys, not sure about corns but you can leave a voice mail and he'll call you right back.

[calif_chaz]

Sam has corns fairly often and my vet has started hulling them beautifully after going to the Grassmere Hosp website and seeing how it is done. Very painless, non-invasive with no anesthesia or numbing necessary. I was so pleased that my vet (who is terrific) was open to learning this procedure and trying it. I wish the darn corns could be gotten rid of permanently but since they can't we will just make periodic trips to have them hulled. It has to happen often enough that I would not consider sedating Sam.

[Guest Fasave]

You can try Dr. Fallon at Millbrook Animal Clinic on Mass Ave in Arlington MA. He is a pro at hulling corns and does not use sedation. It really should not be a painful procedure for the pup. He has done my guys corns over the years, as well as, many other greyhounds. He even trained one of my friends vets on how to do it. The only potential problem is that he may not be taking new clients. You can also try VCA Wakefield. They have a ton of experience with greys and a friend of mine, who is the office manager there, takes her three greys to work with her everyday so I'm pretty confident they would know about corn hulling.

 

Also, you should be aware that hulling does not always bring immediate relief. I have been able to manage my guys corns (on three feet) by using duct tape to soften the corn, then I hull with my finger nail, dremel on low around the edges and put duct tape back on immediately. He also wears therapaw booties on walks.

 

Also, you may want to try posting on Greyhound Adventures facebook page Greyhound Adventures for additional suggestions.

[MaryJane]

You can try and dremel the corn yourself which is what I have been doing for over a year (in addition to using Bag balm). You could also try calling Sutton Animal Hospital which is down by the RI border and see if they will hull it there (they used to but I don't know if the current vet will do it).