Guest Addie Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 I have a one year old foster with broke toes and I'm just wondering if anyone knows any sort of rehab I could try to help him use his foot better. When I got him I was just told to have him walk on it and it needed to get stronger. I took him with to London's k9 massage and laser treatment. She used the cold laser on his foot and (for free since he is a rescue ) and she sold me an exercise disk for at cost (picture below) to help get him to strengthen the ligaments and stand on his foot better. I'm just wondering if maybe a therapaw boot may help him too? The vet he saw also mentioned a carpal fusion, but he does use the foot. Here he is on the ball, hes so smart he learned how to stand on it after two nights of working with him for just a few minutes!!!!! Here is a more close up of the ball Here is how he stands on his foot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scarter55 Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Our Lady broke a toe when she was just a little puppy. We were just told to give her painkillers and keep her from exerting herself too much in order to not aggrevate/reinjure it. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Looks like there was some ligament damage along with the fractures. The exercise ball is worth a try, but his foot may always stay 'flat' like that. I'm assuming he limps on it? How long ago did the breaks happen? It looks like the problem is in the ligaments of his foot, so not sure how a carpal (wrist) fusion would help? Scarter55, honestly, I can't imagine recommending pain meds and restricted activity for life for a broken toe as a puppy. If the toe continued to be a problem, it'd be better to just amputate it and let the dog live a normal life. JMO... Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jetska Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Does look like ligament damage. If I had a toe issue I would take the grey to the Vet that my rescue works with and go with his advice. He deals with lots of broken toes, though I think most of them get amputated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scarter55 Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 JJNg, it wasn't a long term solution, just until it healed. I think they determined it wasn't a serious break, and would heal, which it did. Her toes look slightly different on that foot, but it doesn't impact her gait at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Ah, sorry I misunderstood, Scarter55. I think the OP is dealing with healed fractures and the dog still isn't walking normally on the foot, so I had longer term management options on my mind. Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Addie Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Yes, he does limp on it. Its kind of sad since he so young and full of energy! I guess he did see a vet for it in his first foster home and they just said to have him walk on it for strengthening. They also said something about a therapaw for him too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claudiav Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 just curious..... how does the exercise disk help his toe? never heard/seen one before... Quote Image removed, not within Signature Guidelines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieProf Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 If the toe causes him to limp and doesn't resolve it would make the most sense to amputate it so he can have a normal life. Quote With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Addie Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 The woman who sold it to me said it could help strengthen the ligaments in his feet that he is not using correctly. She also thought hydro therapy could help (but I don't know of any around here) I bet he will get terrible arthritis from it in the near future maybe? I was almost thinking that maybe it should be amputated if its just going to be painful but that's not my call since hes a foster. He does use it but would rather hold it up most of the time and when he runs you would never know anything was wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJNg Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Which toe(s) did he break? All of the toes on that foot look 'flat' from ligament damage except maybe the outside toe. Not sure if amputation would help since it doesn't look like a single toe that's the problem, but pretty much his whole foot. Quote Jennifer & Willow (Wilma Waggle), Wiki (Wiki Hard Ten), Carter (Let's Get It On), Ollie (whippet), Gracie (whippet x), & Terra (whippet) + Just Saying + Just Alice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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