Guest itsagreytlife Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 We just arrived at our rental cabin in the VA mountains & suddenly our new grey, Chance started limping! Looked at his paw & saw a smooth black circle in the middle of a pad. He winces when I gently press on it. I don't have a therapaw or anything here. Can corns be black in color? I've looked up pics & they all seem to be yellowish brown. This is smooth & black. I can't upload a pic right now (using my cellphone--thank goodnes for 4G!); no wifi. What do you recommend I do for him? This is awful since he won't be able to go walk; etc. Can I find something at walmart that would help for the next several days? I feel terrible for him, especially if it is a corn! I hear they are really problematic. Thx in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 It sounds like a corn but, it could also be a foreign body too--aka splinter of some type. You can try soaking the foot with warm water and epsoms salts a couple of times a day to see if that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Corns when they start can be pad color. It came suddenly? You mean OK a few hours ago and now not? Did your dog walk on a very hot paved area or hot sand? Did he run about a lot and get a blister, or a bruise that went to a haematoma? Did he stand on something sharp? Did he get an insect/spider bite or sting? Can you bathe that pad in warm salty water, dry it and apply some antiseptic cream? How far away is the nearest vet's office? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 A corn would not just HAPPEN like that. My bet is he stepped on something. Be sure to check between his toes very carefully. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Rex's corns were never shiny. They were always kind of a bit chalky around the edges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnsliz Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Could be a corn. If so the soaking in epsom salts will soften and define the margins. An easy way to do this is to really soak a few paper towels in the water/epsom salts. Fold the sopping paper towels and put in the bottom of a baggie. Position the baggie over his foot so the paper towels are at the bottom and tape at the top to keep in place. Then put a sock over it. (I have a therapaw which works better, but a sock will work in a pinch.) This will also help if it is a foreign object and wont hurt if it is anything else. If it's a corn it is not a medical emergency, just pain management issue. Quote <p>Finn, Wink, Birdie, Snap and SmokeyJG Quicknfast 7/25/99-5/16/08, JG Quickwink 7/25/99-9/22/13, Iruska SweetDuv 7/19/03-11/9/16, Delbar 6/11/11 and Catahoula Smokey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest itsagreytlife Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Thx everyone. I so appreciate the input when I feel so separated from my normal surroundings. Not the best night I've had (u should see the bags under my eyes!). Chance was up & down all night & therefore Selah was too. Partially due to new environment. Chance is also experiencing some long term drippy poops (since he came to us 3 wks ago), which is also a cause for concern for me. Am waiting for a call back from regular vet re: that issue (fecal neg, bland diet + imodium not helping). I have made appt for this afternoon at nearby vet for his foot. Am hopeful its not a corn, but at same time am nervous about what else it might be. Unlike Ms. Social Director, Selah, Chance is a bit more cautious & scared of things like the tv. I am distressed that he is distressed. I am too sensitive I know. Thx again. Will give update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest itsagreytlife Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 P.S. to answer some questions: yes, it just seemed to happen, since when we stopped for potty breaks/walks on the drive here no limping. No really hot pavement. Obviously don't know if he stepped on something. Hubby said he noticed it 1st time he took him out for potty break few mins after arrival. Its the woods, so could be something sharp on ground. But wouldn't I feel it when I touch it? I think it would be irritated looking or something. His pad color is light and so this stands out as black. Tried to soak it a bit but he keeps pulling away. Am glad to be going to vet. Hopefully they will give him something to ease his walking. Thx again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Try using a baggie to soak his foot-can't pull away from that one. Because this was a sudden onset my guess is a foreign body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest itsagreytlife Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Went to vet this afternoon. Really nice guy...checked Chance's paw but did not see anything there that he thought was a problem. His thought was it is probably more likely to do with leg or hip. Perhaps he tweaked an old injury or something. Did not think black spot was corn or even foreign object. Prescribed him tramadol for the pain, saying even if it was his paw it would help him until we get back home. I've wondered about the paw being the problem on & off cuz he is able to walk on it ok sometimes even on gravel (lots of the roads here are gravel)! Also it seems his limp is most pronounced when he gets up from lying down for a while, which seems to indicate a stiffness or something. I talked to my vet back home & they were fine with the temporary fix. I will bring him in if its still a prob when we return. Vet also gave Chance metronazal (sp?) for his chronic runny poops. Brought in a fecal also. My vet doubts it will be positive since everything is just going thru him so fast. They were just about to prescribe the same med if the imodium didn't work. He took one this afternoon & had yet another drippy poop tonight. Sigh. Good news tho is he has a good appetite & is not dehydrated although he has lost several lbs since 2 wks ago. Feeding him plain overcooked rice with a little hamburger as well as a bit of the purina en script food. I have ordered a bunch of panacur that should be delivered by the time I get home. Will dose him even if fecal is neg. Hooks are sneaky buggers. Its just so weird he's had this runny poop since we've had him. At the fosters he only had a bit the usual first couple of days & was fine. Our food is very similar to theirs & besides he hasn't eaten any of the normal kibble in over a week. This vacation has been quite an adventure in a different way than I'd anticipated. Oh well. He & Selah are sleeping peacefully right now which is a blessed thing. I will update when/if we find out the reason for the limp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest itsagreytlife Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Just wanted to give an update. We took Chance to the nearby vet and as a I mentioned, the vet doubted it was his pad bothering him. Figured it to be his leg/hip. Gave him Tramodal. The next couple of days he was limping a bit less and finally the last day of our trip (Thurs) he was hardly limping at all! Last day I gave him the Tram was last Thursday and he has been running and walking just fine. Apparently it was a tweaked muscle or something, perhaps an old injury. I am greytful it is not a corn (black spot is just a black spot, apparently) and also greytful for access to the vet and of course that he is feeling better. Thanks for all your input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Yea for no bloody corn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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