Cut on Paw Not Healing, New Lesions Popping Up

[MickeysMom]

Months ago Mickey came in with a nasty cut on a paw. Months later, stitches on more than one occasion, and reopening after reopening, this one spot is now joined by two more. These two don't look like cuts (like the original), but round lesions that I cannot figure out how they started. The one I am worried about is not quite painful for Mickey (now limping and cries when I change his bandage), it looks deep, and got much worse over about a weeks time (see pic). He does have a second vet opinion tomorrow but am wondering if anyone has seen anything like this before?

 

https://ibb.co/0XhLLH9
https://ibb.co/DKYZJy5

 

[greysmom]

It's hard to tell from the pictures where the original cut is located.

The "new" spot looks like a pressure sore from constant bandaging - always an issue with greyhounds.  Wrappings need to be looked at AND changed every three or four days, with special attention paid to any hot spots and points where it may rub.  You may be able to help it along with the new "sugar bandages" you can find on store shelves for people, if your vet doesn't have any better solutions.  Sometimes using a gel pad over the sore can help as well.  Has your vet cultured that spot to make sure he's getting the proper antibiotics??  If he's not on them, he *may* need them if it won't heal.  Neosporin has a spray product that works well topically for feet wounds.  Best best is to try and figure out a way to leave it open to the air and manage it with an open wound protocol.

As far as the original cut, if it's on it's own separate toe, and can't get any healing traction, and contiinually reopens, the best best may be to amputate the toe.  Other than the anesthesia, this is a pretty straightforward and quick surgery, with healing usually good enough in two weeks.  It's basically useless, as you've found, to try and stitch any wound on greyhound feet.  They just don't have an extra skin in the area.  Protecting the wound and keeping it clean and dry, and restricting exercise are important.  Soaking twice a day in a warm epsom salt solution (and drying afterwards) can also help speed healing.

If you're going to bandage feet, take care to keep the area in between the toes clean and dry using small rolls of gauze.  I use this product for outdoor protection  Medipaw

Good luck!

[MickeysMom]

18 minutes ago, greysmom said:

It's hard to tell from the pictures where the original cut is located.

The "new" spot looks like a pressure sore from constant bandaging - always an issue with greyhounds.  Wrappings need to be looked at AND changed every three or four days, with special attention paid to any hot spots and points where it may rub.  You may be able to help it along with the new "sugar bandages" you can find on store shelves for people, if your vet doesn't have any better solutions.  Sometimes using a gel pad over the sore can help as well.  Has your vet cultured that spot to make sure he's getting the proper antibiotics??  If he's not on them, he *may* need them if it won't heal.  Neosporin has a spray product that works well topically for feet wounds.  Best best is to try and figure out a way to leave it open to the air and manage it with an open wound protocol.

As far as the original cut, if it's on it's own separate toe, and can't get any healing traction, and contiinually reopens, the best best may be to amputate the toe.  Other than the anesthesia, this is a pretty straightforward and quick surgery, with healing usually good enough in two weeks.  It's basically useless, as you've found, to try and stitch any wound on greyhound feet.  They just don't have an extra skin in the area.  Protecting the wound and keeping it clean and dry, and restricting exercise are important.  Soaking twice a day in a warm epsom salt solution (and drying afterwards) can also help speed healing.

If you're going to bandage feet, take care to keep the area in between the toes clean and dry using small rolls of gauze.  I use this product for outdoor protection  Medipaw

Good luck!

Thank you!

His bandages are changed at least once per day. I have been really careful about rubbing, with cotton in between toes if needed and not tight with the vet wrap along boney spots, etc. I suppose anything is possible, but I would be surprised if it were a pressure sore.  The wounds have not been cultured, no. I am going to ask for cytology tomorrow. Open air is just not possible, his needle nose is too long for any cone that I have found  

I am beginning to think that the amputation may be the best route, although we were trying to avoid it. 

[1Moregrey]

I have had good results with Derma-Clens you can get it at Chewy it heals hotspots fast from the inside out.  One of my greys who had stitches and keep chewing them out.  I had grandma come stay with her.  She learned if a blanket was over it grey magically forgot it was there.  Is there anyway you could cover it with a light weight shirt.  Even if you just cut the shoulder, collar, and arms out and had your grey ware that?  Or is it a back leg. 

 

[ramonaghan]

I swear by Derma-Gel. The surgeons at our specialist clinic sent us home with some when Sweep opened up a section of stitches after breaking her back leg, and when Willa's stitches were removed post-amputation and she still had a "raw" area. It works quickly. It has a slightly herbal smell that seems to keep them from licking it, but it can be used with a bandage if you need. Supposedly it also has a soothing effect that might help with his pain.

[BatterseaBrindl]

DermaGel is great.  I also like the ‘Silver Honey’’ Absorbine  products.

It probably should be left open to the air.  Can he wear a muzzle with a stool guard?

[racindog]

Thanks for the link Ramonaghan. I ordered some gel and spray both for K9 Turbo's "happy tail." I figured that if he don't let me put the gel on then I can spray it on. I am hopeful. Sounds promising-all the reviews rave about it. I've been using the Dogswell Remedy+Recovery Liquid Bandage spray and it works really well except he licks it off and keeps re-injuring it.  I'm also getting him a new kennel with solid aluminum sides in the hope that will help also. Figured it would be less damaging then his tail hitting those hard skinny welded wire kennel sides he has now. I ordered his new one yesterday. I am determined to heal that happy tail. It is a very small little spot. He had it before a year or two ago and it healed up and just left him with a black tip on his tail .

[MickeysMom]

Thanks all. We had a cytology done this morning. It is a staph infection from the original wound, plus what appear to be lick granulomas. We are doing an antibiotic and steroid, leaving it open with a close eye for no licking/huge e-collar, and if not gone in 14 days we will biopsy. 

[ramonaghan]

3 hours ago, racindog said:

Thanks for the link Ramonaghan. I ordered some gel and spray both for K9 Turbo's "happy tail." I figured that if he don't let me put the gel on then I can spray it on. I am hopeful. Sounds promising-all the reviews rave about it. I've been using the Dogswell Remedy+Recovery Liquid Bandage spray and it works really well except he licks it off and keeps re-injuring it.  I'm also getting him a new kennel with solid aluminum sides in the hope that will help also. Figured it would be less damaging then his tail hitting those hard skinny welded wire kennel sides he has now. I ordered his new one yesterday. I am determined to heal that happy tail. It is a very small little spot. He had it before a year or two ago and it healed up and just left him with a black tip on his tail .

Fingers crossed!