Where Did This Come From And What Is It?

[JoJo207]

 

I went to give Rex a nail trimming and found this. At first I thought he stepped on something and it's a big ugly splinter, but I think it's a growth. It is hard and almost shaped like an extra nail growing out of the side of his toe. He's not limping and doesn't slow him down from any circle zoomies or running through the house. It is red on the side of his toe and he didn't appreciate me touching it. Makes me think it is tender. I've been working on getting his nails shorter, so we I try to trim every 2 weeks and I'm fairly confident this wasn't there 2 weeks ago. Definitely going to call the vets in the morning, but thought I'd flash this up here as well.

[macoduck]

My first guess is that it's a huge corn.

[kudzu]

Yeah, what she said. Never seen anything quite like it but it sure might be a corn that developed on the edge of the pad. Then started splitting off the side from pressure. Though one that size I would think had been there much longer than 2 weeks. Perhaps though you didn't notice it because it was still contained within the more normal margins of the pad? Your description of how hard it is is what gives me that impression & the outline of it within that pad seems to fit as well.

 

Hope it is something minor.

[Guest alannamac]

Hmm, Bandit had 2 corns that would grow like horns....sideways, really hard..and sort of arc to the side

like that.....I never saw redness at the base like that, it was always just a horn and I'd clip it right

down flat...sometimes they just torqued right out and left a little circular crater...always pad material

though never raw open flesh like that.

 

but the raw tissue in your photo at the base of the horn looks different, like your pup's healthy pad tissue is inflamed possibly

infected, or heaven forbid.....it's a different kind of growth

definitely have your vet take a look. Is your vet experienced with corns? My vet had no clue as apparently greys are one of the

few breeds that tend to get the things. If not, try to go to someone who's seen them before, or bring online references for your

vet to research.

[DaisyDoodle]

Does he have any other odd things going on? Hind end weakness, intolerance to heat, hemorrhoids? My Coamo had strange warty growths along with these other symptoms when she had Degenerative Myelopathy.

 

Hoping it's just a corn.

[JoJo207]

I'll never claim to be the most observant person at times, so it could be it was there and I just didn't notice. It does appear to grow from side at the pad line and grows straight down. I'm guessing when he stands it wants to splay out to the side and is now ripping from his pad. Vet can't see him 'till Tuesday, but Rex and BooBoo (aka Brooke, she's been a tad accident prone lately) will be spending the night at the rescue center tomorrow. Hoping maybe someone there can take a look and at least tell me if I can trim it so it doesn't continue to rip from his pad.

[kudzu]

And I'll confess that I do not go around checking my dogs pads with great frequency even though, like you, I do nail trims every couple weeks. That is why it seemed possible it had been there without you seeing it. Though I hate to accuse you of being like me.

 

I understand the concern about the redness. If it is pulling against the tissues that along could be responsible for irritation &/or inflammation. However, allanamac makes a good point about possible infection. Definitely keep a close eye on it & ask the adoption center workers to do the same. Any increase in redness or inflammation would have me booking it over to a vets well before Tuesday. Hopefully that will not be necessary.