kathleenmaeve Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Hi, all! I was wondering if any of you with "corn dogs" have run into paw pad infections after hulling a corn? I recently used the duct-tape method on a very persistent corn and my dog (Castle) was finally able to walk pain-free for a few days. The duct tape raised the corn to the point where I was able to pick it out with my fingers and it left a little divet where the corn had been - I put Abreva on this divet for a few days. This morning Castle got up and was three-legged lame with a lot of pain/sensitivity in the paw pad that gets the corns. There is no evidence of a new corn forming on the surface of his pad and this is WAY more lame than he's ever been in the early (non-visible) stages of a new corn. I took him into the vet and she agreed that the surface of the pad appears corn-free though there is discoloration throughout (the pad is normally a dark grey and today there are some spots with light grey/whitish pigmentation- I'll try to get a picture later). Given how painful it is and how quickly it cropped up (overnight) the vet suspects an infection possibly from when the corn was hulled. We've been getting a lot of rain and the backyard has tons of mud spots so it would be easy for gunk to get up in there and cause a problem. We're doing a week of anti-inflammatory meds and a betadine soak every day. We'll move to anti-biotics next week if it hasn't resolved (the vet didn't want to prescribe them right away since she's suspecting an infection but there are no outward signs of one besides the lameness and discoloration). Anyone else experience this? Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fudge Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 I guess with the right conditions as you say rain and mud. Just wondering...Maybe a reaction to the Abreva?? My corn dog's corns never seemed divet deep enough for anything to get infected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathleenmaeve Posted May 11, 2016 Author Share Posted May 11, 2016 Hm, yes it could be a reaction to the Abreva. Allergies/reactions can sometimes take a few days to crop up. I agree that the divets that are usually left have healthy tissue underneath and generally seem non-porous but maybe some of the healthy tissue came away with the duct tape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fudge Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 How's Castle's paw today? Getting any better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathleenmaeve Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 Hi, Fudge! Sorry for the delayed reply - it's finals time around here so I've been up to my ears grading. Castle's pad seems much better - the Carpaquin has really helped as have the betadine soaks. The surface of the pad is still very smooth so I'll be curious to see if another corn crops up (given his history, I'm anticipating that it will eventually). I'll be curious to see if he's back to putting weight on his foot once he's off the meds/soaking routine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fudge Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 Thanks for the update.....yes I can't believe how fast they come back! Hopefully, you and Castle will get a little break from corn hulling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathleenmaeve Posted May 16, 2016 Author Share Posted May 16, 2016 Just as another update - he's still on and off - the Carpaquin has helped a lot but he is favoring that leg more than he should. I asked for antibiotics because he also managed to scrape is leg on something in the yard so I figured kill two bird with one stone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTRAWLD Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 I think Abreva is for cold sores so I wonder if you used the wrong thing on the pad and it's become irritated and infected that way. I used a wart remedy on Kasey for 2 days after his corn was hulled and no issues there. Try soaking the paw in a warm epsom salt bath. Put some warm water in a tall yogurt container and mix some epsom salts in. Put paw in and try to get him to stand in it for about 5 minutes. Do this twice a day if you can. It will help alleviate any soreness in the paw, and make the pads soft enough for you to take a good look at them in case something else is in there that might be bothering him, a sliver for example. Quote Proudly owned by:10 year old "Ryder" CR Redman Gotcha May 201012.5 year old Angel "Kasey" Goodbye Kasey Gotcha July 2005-Aug 1, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathleenmaeve Posted May 17, 2016 Author Share Posted May 17, 2016 Thanks, EXTRAWLD! I've heard of Abreva being used for corns on the thought that it's an anti-viral agent and one theory is that corns are caused by a virus. Either way, that could definitely cause irritation but unlikely to cause an infection (it does not contain bacterial agents that would infect something) and this has now unfortunately persisted for 2 weeks beyond when Abreva was applied. So, I'm thinking at this point that it's something else (either an infection caused by the mud/junk in the yard as suspected by the vet or a latent corn/something else we've not thought of). The betadine soaks have begun to irritate his paw a little so I will try your epsom salt suggestion moving forward as that may provide some relief and soften up the pads a bit. I've not tried it before! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocsDoctor Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Yes my vet recommended Epsom salt soaks for Ken's corn too, and also rubbing Vaseline into the pad, again to soften the skin. Ken had his corn hulled by the vet several weeks ago, and the problem we had at that point was that there was still quite a buildup of hard thick skin on the rest of the pad. Most of that is gone now thanks to the Epsom salts and Vaseline, plus some gentle filing by me with a ceramic foot file. There is still a small black spot left, but we are hoping that it is the 'root' of the (pyramid-shaped) corn coming to the surface as the skin wears down and is renewed. If so it should eventually disappear. Anyway he is walking much more comfortably than before. I've not had to deal with an infection though - good luck with that! Quote Clare with Tiger (Snapper Gar, b. 18/05/2015), and remembering Ken (Boomtown Ken, 01/05/2011-21/02/2020) and Doc (Barefoot Doctor, 20/08/2001-15/04/2015)."It is also to be noted of every species, that the handsomest of each move best ... and beasts of the most elegant form, always excel in speed; of this, the horse and greyhound are beautiful examples."----Wiliam Hogarth, The Analysis of Beauty, 1753. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathleenmaeve Posted May 18, 2016 Author Share Posted May 18, 2016 (edited) Here is a pic of the pad (bottom left of the photo with the little hole-looking thing) - I'm wondering if the corn might still be there and that's the issue (i.e., not an infection after all)? Edited May 18, 2016 by kathleenmaeve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocsDoctor Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 Yes it looks to me as if you still have a bit of corn in there - can see a ring of hardened skin round the little hole. Quote Clare with Tiger (Snapper Gar, b. 18/05/2015), and remembering Ken (Boomtown Ken, 01/05/2011-21/02/2020) and Doc (Barefoot Doctor, 20/08/2001-15/04/2015)."It is also to be noted of every species, that the handsomest of each move best ... and beasts of the most elegant form, always excel in speed; of this, the horse and greyhound are beautiful examples."----Wiliam Hogarth, The Analysis of Beauty, 1753. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathleenmaeve Posted May 19, 2016 Author Share Posted May 19, 2016 Thanks, DocsDoctor - I will start the Epsom salts soaks today so maybe it will soften up. I'm still confused about the very quick onset of symptoms (literally walking fine to 3 legged lame over night) but who knows how fast these things can come back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTRAWLD Posted May 19, 2016 Share Posted May 19, 2016 I'm looking at the big pad that's a bit crusty too. Might that also be a bit hurty? I agree looks like the corn is still there. Try duct taping it back up again and see what happens in a week. Only put a piece that's about as big as the corn though, the rest of the pad needs to breathe. I chopped up little rectangles and put one right across the pad that usually seems to stick better than a little circle. Quote Proudly owned by:10 year old "Ryder" CR Redman Gotcha May 201012.5 year old Angel "Kasey" Goodbye Kasey Gotcha July 2005-Aug 1, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Heatheredgar Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 How can you tell if a greyhound has a corn ? I have taken a photo but not sure how to upload How can you tell if a greyhound has a corn ? I have taken a photo but not sure how to upload Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Amy_Bee Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 Hey, Gretchen's got a corn these days too. In the past, I used Therapaws with great success, but at age 13, she no longer tolerates the boot. She tries to lift a paw mid-walk to take the boot off with her teeth and falls down on the sidewalk due to weakness from arthritis (which is currently being treated with acupuncture, but she's still got some issues). So...no more boots. My apartment building neighbors see her limping across the parking lot and lecture me that she's in pain and I need to have them removed, but I've read that they just grow back and recovery is difficult. So I've been using duct tape, but I read on another thread that this works best if you use actual "Duct brand" tape. Well, I don't think that's what I have, because it comes off very quickly. I looked on Amazon and see only "Duck" brand. Is that the best one to use? If anyone can help me identify the stickiest duct tape to use, I'd appreciate it. How can you tell if a greyhound has a corn ? I have taken a photo but not sure how to upload Heather, this post is a few months old so I don't know if you still need this answered, but corns appear as flat circles on a grey's paw pad. You can often see which paw they're favoring and then check the paw pads. Eventually, with repeated pressure from walking on hard surfaces, a corn will erupt from the paw pad and become much more obvious. It's a hard protrusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted August 11, 2016 Share Posted August 11, 2016 If the corn does not have a defined edge,do not hull! Just walking on blacktop or sidewalks will sand the edges. Check out the YouTube videos on how to hull a corn. Personally with that tiny tiny corn I would wait. The corn on the outer edge of the larger pad is still small. I never used Thera paws successfully,some sly fox is running around with Emily's Thera paw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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