Beth's First Run Since Toe Amputation

[PrairieProf]

So this morning Beth did her first zoomie run since her toe amputation early in the summer. I have seen her do a couple of short, lopey runs in the past week (taking her to the park in the heat of the day when she's lazy). I was delighted to see that her gait seemed pretty normal on those, as I've often seen a skippy limp in her run when I've gotten her to do a few strides on leash. Today I decided to bite the bullet and take her out in the cool morning.

 

The good news: she can still go! I couldn't watch her feet too well as she was headed away from me and quickly became a white blur but her run looked OK. She did a sharp turn when she reached the corner too, yikes!

 

The lousy news: as she was stopping, she did a few skippy steps, then held up the amp foot. Oy vey (although I was prepared for that as a possibility, so I didn't totally freak).

 

The decent news: I rubbed the foot and checked the remaining toes which seemed intact, and once I convinced her to put it down she walked off with no limp, and later did another short easy run that looked OK. I stopped by my vet and got him to quickly check that foot, and he confirms that her toes are fine. So there's no lasting effect, though I'll be on the watch for any soreness later today or tomorrow.

 

I know she might get used to running on that changed foot and not always hold it up that way, or she might not ... I'm sad that she hasn't has a great an outcome as other toe-amp hounds seem to have had. Though at least she can run, which I wasn't sure of. I feel like I need to be really careful about letting her run for the rest of her life, I'm not going to do it as much as I used to -- but I do want her to be able to be off leash and to play with other dogs as she's enjoyed in the past.

Edited August 25, 2011 by PrairieProf

[Guest Tabby]

Yeah! I positive step forward!

[Guest KennelMom]

Melody will often do a hop-along step for a few minutes after a run. I've never known if it was due to the toe amp or the toe next to the amputated toe that was also injured, but not enough to amputate it. Our other chicken-footed dogs are old enough that they don't care to run all out anymore. Will be interesting to see how Mel fairs at the new house where they'll have two full, open acres to run every day.

 

Sounds like Beth will have a pretty normal life though...

[PrairieProf]

Melody will often do a hop-along step for a few minutes after a run. I've never known if it was due to the toe amp or the toe next to the amputated toe that was also injured, but not enough to amputate it. Our other chicken-footed dogs are old enough that they don't care to run all out anymore. Will be interesting to see how Mel fairs at the new house where they'll have two full, open acres to run every day.

 

Sounds like Beth will have a pretty normal life though...

 

Oh that makes me feel a little better to hear about Melody. Update me after the move, please! I think if/when I get over my terror at letting her run and seeing the effect, I'll be OK (if she is) -- Beth is just five and definitely still wants to run!

 

This first zoom was triggered by Beth's habit of playing "keep away" with a piece of poop she found at the park.

[greysmom]

Whoa!!!! Calm down, Mom!

 

No need to be disappointed at this point. She's only a few months post surgery - she lost a major part of her foot , afterall! When it gets to be 10 or 12 months post, then you can evaluate how successful it was, at least as far as her running goes. She may always hold that foot up after running, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. And it will probably be more prone to developing arthritis as she ages.

 

If it really bothers her, she will self regulate her running. No dog will do something that hurts - and I'm betting you will know when it does.

[dmdsmoxie]

Beth should be just fine. You have to remember that her run was probably her first in 6 weeks or more. I don't know how far she ran, but she probably ran further than she would have at a track coming back from surgery because at the track they will run them short, meaning just from the backside to the escape.

 

Would she run to you at the park if someone else held her and you walked to the other end? Or would she just keep running because she is loose and having fun. If she would come to you I would do that a couple of times and call it a day.

 

Dick

[Batmom]

Dick's suggestion is a good one. Part of the issue is likely to be, that skin is still tender because it hasn't been exposed to much use. Part of the issue may also be, not tender exactly but doesn't feel normal, hence holding the foot up. A little good use at a time would resolve those issues.

 

Scritchies to your pretty girl!

[PrairieProf]

Thanks everybody. It was a pretty short run as things go, maybe six seconds? She would probably run to me unless she got distracted by sniffing -- I do recall games with her. "Another person" would take arrangements. I am planning to take it really slow, as much as I can control. I AM really happy to see that she is ABLE to run in a more or less normal way.

 

I hope she will self-regulate -- isn't there the problem of the greyhound drive to run overcoming pain signals, though? Or is that only in heightened situations as with chasing a lure, not ordinary yard or park play?

 

I have recently started her on Dasuquin, BTW, to try to stay a step ahead of arthritis, though I know it might or might not help anything. The knuckle on the remaining middle toe of that foot is notably enlarged already, though I've fretted about it to my vet several times and he assures me it's not a reason to worry, just calcification which helps stabilize that toe.

[PrairieProf]

I got Beth to do some controlled recall runs Monday with no problem, and then today (our next trip to the park) she took off on her second big zoom, longer this time than last week. I let her poop in the park for the first time rather than leash-walking her before we went, and she just took off immediately after! I really really take seriously the advice to take it slowly; on the other hand, if I'm going to let her off leash she's going to get a hair up her butt sometimes.

 

She seemed to run OK, certainly full speed (maybe a bit more bunched up rather that stretched out behind?) and then when she stopped she held up her foot again. I was a distance from her, and as I was walking towards her (I've hurt my back and can't run myself at present) she eventually put it down and took a few gimpy steps and then walked normally. And she continued to seem fine in the five minutes or so we remained in the park -- walked, trotted, and did one very short recall run to me.

 

Still not sure how to feel -- her holding up the foot makes me sad, though I figured it was probably OK this time, and I'm glad she resumed a normal gait after a little break. The run in the cool morning must have felt good to the rest of her, though! That she kept it up longer must have meant the foot must not have bothered her too much as she was going.

 

(Just for the record, her surgery was at the very end of May.)

Edited August 25, 2011 by PrairieProf

[greysmom]

I think it sounds really normal! Her foot probably feels weird to her too, and the bones and remaining infrastructure are still settling into a new place. It might not hurt so much as just not be "right" to her.

 

 

Beth!

[PrairieProf]

Hope so ... she seemed to be, not limping exactly, but walking pretty stiffly on it when we went out at midday for a pee ... but she got better as we continued, so I'm thinking probably it's just like human post-workout stiffness or soreness, right? If she still seems off when I get home, I'll probably give her a Deramaxx.