Infected Nailbed? Tumor? Slo? Help!

[Guest JJGrey]

I've scoured Greytalk's forums regarding nail issues and am hoping someone can please help me try and figure out what's wrong with my 4 year old boy's toe.

 

I tried to attach a picture I took on 9/25 but I can't figure out how. On 9/26, I took him to the vet and she gave him 10 days of antibiotics (can't remember what kind but I can find out) and said it was a bacterial infection. I asked her if she thought it might be allergies and she said no. It didn't get better at all over the first few days so I took him back on 10/3. In the meantime, I started doing (per Greytalk advice) epsom salt soaks, antibacterial wash, and neosporin. I tried putting a bootie on it when he goes potty but he refused to walk on it with the bootie on and when I asked the vet she said it wasn't necessary. He doesn't like me to mess with it but he still plays and runs around like a crazy dog when I take him to the fenced in area near our house. Dog walker (this week) said she doesn't think he's in pain and walks fine for her. Although last week, he was lifting it up to show to her.

 

On 10/3 they aspirated the toe. Long story short, they didn't get the sample to the lab until 10/6 so I don't have the results yet. The vet called me yesterday and seems convinced that it's a tumor and wants me to come in today to get a chest xray to see if it is cancer, if it's spread. She's also hell bent on taking the toe.

 

I think it's getting better. It's not red anymore; just pink and the swelling has localized to one side of the toe. It's not oozing clear liquid anymore but is bleeding a bit on the top in one tiny place. And when I let him run around, blood comes out of the nail bed. I'm going to take more pictures tonight and post them. I also don't think it's SLO and neither does an internist that the vet consulted with.

 

- Do you think I should continue with another course of antibiotics? Any particular kind?

- Should I have the vet clean and bandage/wrap? For how long? (I haven't been muzzling him but he does lick at it a lot. Should I muzzle him?)

- Should I make him wear the booties when he goes outside even though he refuses to walk on the foot with them on?

- Should I make the vet do another culture?

 

I'm going crazy with worry that it might be cancer. I looked at all the pics I could find in similar posts and didn't see anything that looks similar. I really appreciate your help!

Edited October 7, 2011 by JJGrey

[Burpdog]

Really need to see a picture

 

It got better on the antibiotics?

[HoundHeavenAZ]

I adopted Leah with what I had been told was a toe that had been broken that had healed badly (rolled over sort of) . She was very sensitive about it, but I attributed that to the discomfort that she experienced in the healing process. Instead, after 8 months with me her nail bed suddenly fell off one day. I dashed to the vet and she said we need to take the toe asap, which we did. Thank DOG the results were benign, but there was in fact a tumor. 4+ years later she has recovered entirely and we have NEVER regretted the amputation.

Not sure what if this is what your baby is going through, but I wanted you to know that amputation can be a good thing.

 

I'm sure the GT experts will offer good advice for you, I'll be thinking healing thoughts for you both and hoping for a good outcome.

[DesiRayMom]

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/262891-gracies-toe/page__p__4723224__fromsearch__1#entry4723224

 

Check out this picture.....I've been having problems with Desi's toes, too, and Ducky sent me a link for pics of what her Gracie's

toe looked like before it was amputated...sent out for histopath...came back tumor (not cancerous).

 

Also check here in Health & Medical for the topic "Desi's Feet" in which I posted pictures of his feet just within the past

couple of days. Which one does it look like? Is it swollen? Or just oozing yuck?

 

I've been at my wits end trying to figure out what causes Desi's nailbeds to look like this.

 

Kathy

 

edited to add the link to the pics of Desi's toes

 

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/277497-desis-feet/

Edited October 7, 2011 by DesiRayMom

[macoduck]

By the time Gracie had her toe amputated, it looked as bad as Desi's in that link.

[Guest JJGrey]

Thank you thank you for the replies! Labs came back negative for cancer. Vet (ex greyhound kennel vet) is pretty certian it's a bacterial infection in the nail bed. (typing on phone so sorry for misspellings.) gave ceph and zenaquil and told to continue Epsom salt and and antibacterial wash with neosporin. Told me not to worry about booties or licking. Said that if it doesnt get better in a month or so might take the toe anyway. I really want to post pics just in case they are helpful to others. Looks Like have to link to a URL. Not trying to change the subject but any ideas where I can post and link to a URL since I can't upload?

 

Kathy it looks kind of similar to desis but not as crusty. I'm going to look at your post tomorrow when I fire up the computer and see if anything my vet said might be helpful.

[JJNg]

Not trying to change the subject but any ideas where I can post and link to a URL since I can't upload?

I use Photobucket and ImageShack. Photobucket allows you to organize better into albums if you want to categorize pics. ImageShack is easy for quick uploads of a pic or two.

 

Hope it's just an infection and that the toe heals up quickly.

[cleptogrey]

desi's red raw nail bed looks like felix's raw nail beds when they are inflamed.felix's inflamation is due to the intense running in our yard filled w/ mulch. i clean and soak the foot, use a paper towel or cotton balls to get the dirt out. a solution of epsom's salts or a warm solution of gray sea salt(from france) works wonders. once they are clean and dry i then powder w/ a medicated foot powder, either gold bond or ammens (bfi is also good but hard to find)seems to help. the powder keeps it dry and promotes the healing. i deal w/ this ALL the time, i stay away from a bootie or ointments which keeps it damp. felix was never trained at the track and runs after soccer balls like a mad dog, that's why i am always contending w/ inflamed nail beds.