Rogan Having His Toe Amputated Tomorrow - Update Post 24 :-(

[Guest patterpaws]

Aw Rogan! Poor guy with his sore feets. Glad he's healing up even if its slow. I wish I could see him prancing around in his booties, that sounds tre cute.

 

I agree with Jen's non-PC comment...hehe

[FiveRoooooers]

If Rogan is getting a little more lively he must be feeling better. When he's bumping into things, tho, he hasn't yet figured out where his new feet are, poor guy. He will. Good job, Linds.

[GreytHurleyDawg]

Oh I am so sad that this has happened to Rogan! I am just reading this now since my Woodie seems to have another toe issue.

 

I am just livid and scared it could happen to someone else. You have shown remarkable restraint and I hope you are fully compensated for your loss.....er, Rogan's loss that you are ultimately the one dealing with.

 

How is he?? Any good updates? I am hopeful that there haven't been anymore seizures. Please give him a kiss and hug for me. What an ordeal! And a nice massage and spa day for you!!!

[Guest kirstenbergren]

I'm also hoping for an update too. I hope Rogan is continuing to heal up well.

[Guest kkaiser104]

Just reading all of this. I would have been sitting in that vet's office all day waiting for them to deal with me. I'm so sorry you've had to go through this

 

I hope all is going well, and I hope that those xrays get to you soon!

[Jenbo]

PUPDATE, please!

[Guest LindsaySF]

Sorry for the lack of updates. Very busy, and Teagan had a dental with extractions yesterday. Then Charlie had a hematoma on his ear burst, so now we're dealing with that too. It's always something!

 

Rogan is doing okay. His gait is still off, and he still limps on the right foot (especially with stairs), but he gets better every day. He's gotten up on the couch again. And outside he has a bit of a trot in his step.

 

 

 

I called last week to see if the x-rays had arrived and they had. I was going to drive down there and cause some damage if not.... I've been "patient" because I honestly don't know what I'd do if I had to go there in person and scream at someone.

 

We're tapering off the pain meds and seeing how things go. I do plan to bring him for follow-up x-rays once everything looks healed up. I want his feet to heal a little more. Some more scabs have come off and it's still tender underneath.

 

I'm a little worried about his long-term prognosis. It's been almost a month since his surgery, so I guess I expected him to be further along by now. But I'm trying not to think about it, just one day at a time. At least his personality is returning.

 

Thanks everyone for the good thoughts!

 

 

 

~Lindsay~

Edited August 2, 2012 by LindsaySF

[Guest kirstenbergren]

He is so sweet laying on the couch! Thanks for the update. I'm glad things are getting there, even if it's slow.

[MP_the4pack]

Oh poor Rogan, I hope his healing starts to speed up now.

[PrairieProf]

Thanks for the update. Glad Rogan is feeling somewhat better. Hopefully he'll be turning a corner really soon as the healing finishes.

[Trihounds]

Still following your thread, Lindsay as I have to make the same decision for Bumper. He broke a front outer toe in November and has been limping ever since (despite all the vet intervention since then). Hearing Rogan's still not 'the same' a month later , I'm having a hard time pulling the trigger on the amp. I think I am just delaying the inevitable, though. Anyway, I'm learning through your experience, so, thank you...but still sorry you have to go through it at all.

[carronstar]

Have been following this whole saga and keeping Rogan in my thoughts. I can visualize his prancing in the boots.

[RaineysMom]

sending more hugs to Rogan! Poor baby

[GreytHurleyDawg]

Thanks for the prompt pupdate (and holding your other two hounds in my thoughts). He does look better now! I know all toe issues are slow and difficult healers and I hope progress keeps happening.

[inugrey]

I'm glad to read he is getting better. Your situation is different because he lost TWO toes, but I wouldn't worry that he's not up and running like normal yet. Inu had one weight bearing toe amputated and it took easily two months before I felt like things were going in the right direction.

[Guest LindsaySF]

I wanted to pop in and provide an update. Rogan is doing a lot better, much more mobile, and less sensitive to having his feet touched. He still favors the right foot, which worries me a bit.... But he's gone on his first two walks with the rest of the pack, and he was able to keep up fine. He looked funny doing his horse prancing because of his boots.

 

 

I was able to get a video of the walking in the yard. He lifts his feet all the way up and tries to kick off the boots with each step.

 

 

 

 

Here's a question for you all.... He still has sutures visible. The vet told me they are dissolvable, but they really do stick out and rub on things. I trimmed the pieces sticking out, but they are still visible. Is this normal? Or should they be removed? I don't remember ever seeing external dissolvable stitches last this long. (It's been almost 5 weeks since the surgery). Do dissolvable stitches look or feel different from the type that need to be removed?

 

I scheduled a follow-up appointment (Sophie needs bloodwork anyway) but it's not until August 22, the first one available with the vet I want. Thanks!

 

 

 

 

~Lindsay~

[JJNg]

Dissolvable sutures can take weeks to months to dissolve, so I personally don't like using them externally. If everything's healed up, they can be removed. Glad to hear Rogan's doing better!

[OwnedBySummer]

That video is adorable! Rogan!

[greytpups]

Still following your thread, Lindsay as I have to make the same decision for Bumper. He broke a front outer toe in November and has been limping ever since (despite all the vet intervention since then). Hearing Rogan's still not 'the same' a month later , I'm having a hard time pulling the trigger on the amp. I think I am just delaying the inevitable, though. Anyway, I'm learning through your experience, so, thank you...but still sorry you have to go through it at all.

 

We had Bailey's toe removed and one thing i suggest is make sure it is amputated high enough. We found that Bailey still limped because the "end" still touched the ground so she had to wear a thera paw. Maybe there's a good reason to only amputate part of it, but I wish I had known this was a possibilty and asked more questions before the amp.

[PrairieProf]

Glad he's doing better! I think my vet said dissolvable sutures can take up to six months to dissolve. I've also only seen them used for subcuticular sutures (underneath the skin) but I'm not an expert. I agree it might be worthwhile to ask about removing them (once the vet can confirm that they are really really no longer needed).

[sweetdogs]

Ah hate mah boots!

[TINMANPDX]

Our Lea had a toe amputated while she was waiting to be adopted. We are are actually her second home, and when we got her, we noticed a green mark that looked like mint dental floss under the skin at the amputation site, which she did not like to have touched. When we went to the vet, they told us that sometimes the disovable sutures don't dissolve, and they pulled it out - she seems much more comfortable with it out.

Your video of Rogan is adorable!

[Trihounds]

Still following your thread, Lindsay as I have to make the same decision for Bumper. He broke a front outer toe in November and has been limping ever since (despite all the vet intervention since then). Hearing Rogan's still not 'the same' a month later , I'm having a hard time pulling the trigger on the amp. I think I am just delaying the inevitable, though. Anyway, I'm learning through your experience, so, thank you...but still sorry you have to go through it at all.

 

We had Bailey's toe removed and one thing i suggest is make sure it is amputated high enough. We found that Bailey still limped because the "end" still touched the ground so she had to wear a thera paw. Maybe there's a good reason to only amputate part of it, but I wish I had known this was a possibilty and asked more questions before the amp.

 

This is a good point, Jan. In Bumper's case, the break was in the second 'digit' just below the first knuckle (from top of foot) so I believe they'd take off the lower and upper digits, leaving just the first rounded knuckle. I'll have to ask for all the details. Thanks for the insight.

[RaineysMom]

so glad he's doing better!

 

and he looks like he's goose stepping

[3greytjoys]

Lindsay,

Thank you for Rogan's update with video! Seeing Rogan walking as well as he is (with boots) helps me look forward to our girl's eventual recovery.

 

Our girl is 16 days post toe amputation surgery. Her recovery is very slow, but I am delighted with her surgeon's job. (As Lindsay knows, I painted the correct toenail bright pink after Rogan's nightmare.) I alerted my vet to please ensure the digit was amputated high enough, and with rounded bone/joint that would not break through skin later. She's still not putting weight on that front leg or doing a full staircase yet, but I'm so relieved we completed this surgery so she's well into her recovery now (and in nice dry weather). I'm confident she'll be walking pain free after nearly 5 months of other unsuccessful treatments.

 

Like Jennifer (JJNG) mentioned, my vet also used standard (non-dissolvable) sutures for our girl's toe amputation. I was told sutures can be removed this week, but after Rogan's experiences, I prefer to await my vet's return to the office next week. Our girl does have dissolvable sutures for her tooth extractions.

 

Continued positive thoughts for Rogan's full recovery. Looking forward to seeing his progress updates.

Edited August 16, 2012 by 3greytjoys