Hurt Toe.... Not Sure How Serious It Is.

[Guest guineforty2]

Hey y'all. My boy was running hard last night and did something to his toe. Last night he was limping and hopping a lot to avoid putting weight on his back right paw. This morning he was still hopping a bit. Just now we went out and he was hopping less, and limping a little less. This morning he yelped when I touched the toe, but just now he didn't yelp, but just pulled it away. Unless I touch it, he shows no signs of pain. It seems like it's gotten better already... but I don't know how severe this sounds. I'm posting here to hear what y'alls thoughts are on it before proceeding. We're still a few days away from the end date of our dog insurance wait period, otherwise I'd be at the vet already. But if this sounds like it could be bad, I'll be there tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

[greysmom]

Could be a lot of things, from serious to meh. If you have more than 2 or 3 days to go I would take him in. If it's broken, a few days can make a difference. If not, an nsaid is a cheap treatment. That toe will likely be excluded as a previous condition for the rest of his life though.

[Batmom]

If it looks like it's dislocated, sooner is better (as in right away) -- the longer it's out of position, the harder it'll be to correct it. Of course, if it looks like it's broken, you also want it seen asap.

[Remolacha]

He could have dislocated it and then it popped back in.

[racindog]

If it is not swollen, dislocated, or has any heat/tenderness and in view of the fact it has already shown improvement and he is not in constant pain I would just watch it. Toe/foot issues in my experience are more or less a given with greyhounds and most of the ones I have encountered either resolve themselves or its chronic and there is nothing you can do about it anyway because amputation may not be called for or possible. 99% of the vets I've been to don't have a clue about greyhound toes and simply have told me when I present the dogs that there is nothing they can do (unless it is serious enough to get a referral to a better vet). They will sell you a rx for NSAID's but I refuse to use them anyway preferring alternative medicine. BTW if it is becomes a chronic painful issue then amputation is my choice as then the problem is permanently removed with no negative side effects- but amputation is not always possible.

Edited June 29, 2018 by racindog

[BatterseaBrindl]

How is the ouchy boy today?

[GreytHoundPoet]

I've run the gamut with Greyhound toe injuries. If there is any swelling we go to the vet. Otherwise, I give them 2-3 days to stop favoring it or limping. After 3 days we go to the vet. We've had simple dislocations (often) and ligament avulsions (less often but about 12 weeks of crate rest and healing).

 

99% of the vets I've been to don't have a clue about greyhound toes and simply have told me when I present the dogs that there is nothing they can do (unless it is serious enough to get a referral to a better vet).

 

I'm sure I could get you a recommendation for a Greyhound savvy vet from the performance and show folks I know across the country. My vet practice has 3 super sighthound savvy vets. One worked with racing Greyhounds for years and bred and owned Borzoi. I drive 45 minutes and pass 6 other vets to get to them.

Edited June 29, 2018 by GreytHoundPoet

[Roo]

My guess (and without being there and seeing it is not worth much, but still) is that he either pulled a muscle or dislocated it then popped it back in. In either of those instances, he'd probably show improvement similar to what you're seeing. It's probably still tender to touch, but he can walk on it.

 

If he keeps acting like it hurts, take him in!

 

My girl dislocated a toe. I popped it back in myself (I don't know where I learned it, but I saw her toe and was like "Oh, hey, I've seen this before!" ), but she popped it out shortly after that and I was sick and didn't feel like dealing with it, so we went to the vet. I walked in, said she'd dislocated her toe, and everyone looked really confused. The tech had to go ask the vet if he'd ever seen anything like that and if he knew what to do. He hadn't, but he knew to pop it back in and splint it (since it happened again really soon after the first time) and put her on a leash-walk-only regimen, which she hated.

[Guest guineforty2]

Whelp. It started to get inflamed so we took him to the vet. Turns out it is a fracture. He's so tough he barely seemed hurt and he handled the vet visit like a champ. Mixie down! https://imgur.com/a/0yW4WEb

[greysmom]

If there's a hard plastic splint inside, watch it *very* carefully so he doesn't get pressure sores. Even without the splint they care get sores extremely easily. I usually have them changed every 7 or 8 days - I *never* wait the full two weeks.

 

I'm dealing with this right now too, and Atom developed a small sore after 8 days just from his toenail rubbing against the next toe. If Dixie starts messing with it or limping again, take him in for a bandage change and to have a look at his foot.

[Guest guineforty2]

No hard splint, fortunately. We went to the doc our local grey rescue group goes through exclusively. We'll be back for the rewrap a little after next weekend!

Edited June 30, 2018 by guineforty2

[FiveRoooooers]

We too have had our share of toe events. Aiden sprung a hind toe, lost a lateral toe on a front paw (earning him the name Aiden 1-5), and recently resolved a long and wearing adventure with an embedded foreign body on the other front paw. He has one good foot remaining. Bea has a corn on a toe of the foot of the leg with the broken hock. Also impressively I was standing literally two feet from her when she ran up to me in the yard, never missed a beat nor made a sound, but I heard the break of the third digit on a front foot. Our vet did try a hard splint but Bea was having none of that. This happened last year, the toe has healed flat, and Bea is sound on it.

 

Good luck with your boy!