Greyhound Foot Problems?

[DaveS]

Are the feet the weak spot of these hounds?  We  have a 2 1/2 yo female and a 5 yo male.  The only medical issues we have experienced with them are related to their feet.

Our female came to us minus a toe on a rear foot.  Apparently she broke it in her last race and it had to be amputated.  A month ago, she was running around the yard and went into the mulch areas that border the areas near the fence.  She was limping badly and I had to use a pair of pliers to extract a big sliver that had gone through the flesh between her toes on a front foot.  All is well now.

Then the male somehow dislocated the outside toe of a front foot and was limping badly.  The toe had folded underneath his paw and he didn't want anyone to touch it.  We took him to our vet and by the time we went into the exam room, he was fine.  The toe repositioned itself and the vet said it would be OK, except that now the toe is cocked at an outward angle.  Several days ago, I accidentally bumped or stepped on the other front foot.  I barely realized I had made contact.  He let out a mild yelp and my wife noted that one of his middle toenails was gone.  We couldn't find it, so I have to think it was gone before the incident.  Don't know if it will grow back.

Have any of you noted foot issues with your hounds?

[ramonaghan]

I think you'd have a harder time finding any of us who haven't had foot issues with our hounds! Other than an occasional upset tummy, that's about the only medical issue we've had with 10-year-old Sweep as well. 

[JaimeL]

Oh the woes of the feet! Dislocated toes, nails ripped out, cut pads. Yes I feel the pain.

[FiveRoooooers]

Aiden 1-4. Sigh. 

[HeyRunDog]

Grace has a awkward angled toe on each back foot. She had to have expensive surgery, well it was for the insurance company, to remove debris that had been embedded between her toes from her racing days and that foot now has multiple corns. She has a scar under her chin and a chunk missing from her tongue where a canine tooth, which is now discoloured, went through it and apart from a few scars and  couple of broken ribs she is OK.

[greysmom]

Yes, feet are the issue a lot of times.  They are on a very controlled surface throughout training and racing - mostly a sand or sandly loam sort of texture - that helps with traction and keeping their foot structure in alignment.  Once in a home, they have to deal with all sorts of surfaces to walk/run on and it can be an issue.

You might try and find some boots for them to wear to protect their feet, but I've never had any that stay on during zoomies.  I've become quite proficiant in dealing with wrapping feet/legs and dealing with dislocations at home.  Otherwise, I'd be spending every week at the vet!