Corns. A Possible Cause?

[HeyRunDog]

Apologies if this has appeared before.

 

I had to take Grace to the vets two weeks ago because she was limping badly. The vet said it was a corn and suggested operating as a possibility which I declined as it hadn't worked previously. I asked if it was worth trying Bazuka (a proprietary corn treatment for humans)? He said he couldn't recommend it but don't let her lick it and to come back 10 days later.

 

10 days later I saw a different vet at the same practice who used to be a vet at the greyhound tracks and doesn't believe surgery is the answer to everything. She hulled the corn and found a very small piece of grit in it. Checking her other paws she found another with a bit of grit slowly starting to embed itself.

 

She suggested that brushing her pads with a dry toothbrush when she comes from a walk to remove any very small sharp objects.

 

So I now brush her pads with an old toothbrush when she come back from a walk.

Treat her existing corns with Bazuka at night and cover with an old sock to stop licking it.

Covering the corns in the daytime with duck tape.

Oh!...and keeping my finger crossed.

 

[greysmom]

There are currently three possible causes that folks ar exploring for those nasty corns. A vet in the UK is also doing a study with surgery and followup care.

 

A foreign body may cause corns, as you have seen. Many times the fb is a piece of glass or something that doesn't show up on xrays. Other causes include an injury to the toe tendons deep inside the foot. Some corns are also clearly caused by a virus like human plantar warts. An altered gait due to injury can also cause corns to form on the opposite feet from the injured ones.

 

Various treatments may or may not work depending on what the etiology of your individual dog's corns are. Most people find that home treatment of soaking in Epsom salts (magnesium sulfide, I think, for you Brits!), moisturizing with a callous reducing cream, and home hulling reduces the need for expensive vet visits. Many people also use over the counter rememdies, or corn specific treatments, with some success.

 

If you haven't already, it may be worth your wile to join the Facebook group "Greyhounds With Corns." There's a lot of information and support there from people all over the world.

[HeyRunDog]

Thanks for the Facebook recommendation. I think because the reasons for corns are many and varied it's a case of trail and error to find one that works for your greyhound.

 

The vet I think you mean who was doing a nonsurgical procedure and follow up care with an apparently 100% success rate was Daniel Doherty. He was jailed for 31/2 years in May this year for falsifying the medical records of puppies to say they were healthy and had been reared in a home environment when the were unhealthy and raised on a puppy farm.

[greysmom]

No this is another vet. His sister has a greyhound with corns and he was curious enough about them to do some indepth research to try and get rid of Maisie's. There will be posts in the FB group about 6 months ago about recruiting UK folks for his study.