Injured Toe

[dessie]

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About 18 months ago Rupert injured one of his middle toes on his near fore (I suppose you would call it a knocked-up toe). The 2nd joint was very swollen and that has not decreased much, my Vet thinks it is scar tissue, although he was rested and had a course of Rimadyl and has taken Glucosamine ever since. When he went to the chiropracter a month or so ago, she had a look at it and said that he had a full range of movement in it.

Two weeks ago, after a deer hunting expedition he has injured it again. We have gone through the same regime and he seems sound on it but just when I think he is going to stay sound he goes off like a lunatic and is lame again. The periods of lameness are getting shorter but he is going stir crazy because he is so fit and he just wants to be 'doing' all the time! I have just started him on Devil's Claw as well as his Glucosamine but has anyone (perhaps from the racing circle) got any other suggestions especially how to reduce the swelling as I have found that because the knuckle is so enlarged it is rubbing on the next toe and getting a sore (which I put wound powder on). Or is it going to be with him for the rest of his life and I just have to 'manage' it.

 

[Trish]

about 8 years ago our lurcher knocked her toe up and repeately over the years kept injuring it. she still as a swollen toe but as not caused her any rubbing onto the other toes and manages very well,she as her moments of crazyness. :lol:

 

[Joanna]

Funnily enough, as per an existing thread today, Bone Radiol. It is a linament which stinks and is used in horses and greyhounds. It is painted onto to the toe and works by reducing scar/fibrous tissue. It is warming when applied. You can get it from greyhound/horse shops or on-line. We were advised to use it on Archie when he did his toe last year :thumbsup:

 

[chelynnah]

Caroline, when Teya dislocated her toe at the end of August the vet said to keep her rested and not to worry about wrapping. But in talking to a good friend in the US (Patience actually) who has had her fair share of toe injuries with her crew from racing and lure coursing, her advice was to make a big giant soft bootie type bandage for her for at least 2 weeks. That way even though she was using the foot, the toe was completely protected.

So I took her advice and put a tiny bit of cotton wool between the toes to cushion them, then wrapped them up securely, but not too tight. I've attached photos. These were kind of my first attempts - the 'bootie' got better over time. I put it on first thing in the morning and took it off right before bed. On the days she wore it when I took it off her toe was normal. On the odd day when I didn't, by the end of the day there was some swelling.



View attachment 38709

 

[chelynnah]

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out, but pm me if you want me to ring you to talk you through it like Patience did with me.

But it definitely worked because it put a lot less stress on the toe.

Whatever you end up doing for him I hope it works and he gets some relief.

Wendy

 

[peapod25]

I have one racer that has reinjured the same toe several times, similar to what you're describing. Seems like that toe just is no longer as integrally sound as the others and is more prone to reinjury. Helps a lot if I ice it immediately when he first comes up lame, along with anti-inflammatory and house arrest. Speeds up the reduction in swelling.

Also...helps a lot to reduce the pressure on that weight-bearing toe if you get the nail as short as possible (but assuming you're already doing that).

 

[Janet]

I had the same thing with Josh and he ended up having a steroid injection at the vets, under general anaesthetic, which I wasn't happy about but he did eventually become sound again. I don't have any advice about the injury but he did have the sores between his toes and someone told me to use Calendula cream which worked really well (he was having antibiotic cream from the vet which was useless). The calendula cream came from the local health food shop but I think you can get it in most chemists. Hope this helps.

 

[~elizabeth~]

I have one racer that has reinjured the same toe several times, similar to what you're describing.  Seems like that toe just is no longer as integrally sound as the others and is more prone to reinjury.  Helps a lot if I ice it immediately when he first comes up lame, along with anti-inflammatory and house arrest.  Speeds up the reduction in swelling.
Also...helps a lot to reduce the pressure on that weight-bearing toe if you get the nail as short as possible (but assuming you're already doing that).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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That's more or less our experience. Gelert had a knocked up toe last year, which the vet initially thought was a ligament injury; when he dislocated the next joint up in March, the x-ray showed that the first injury was actually a chipped bone. I wonder now when the original injury led to the second.

He now has the same problem with scar tissue; if he 'overdoes it', it is prone to swelling. We treat initially with icepack, then bathe with saline solution to reduce any swelling.

However, we've been told that exercise is important (once the swelling has gone down), as the scar tissue needs some stress on it to normalise, otherwise it stays 'soft' and is more prone to injury/tears.

 

[Strike Whippets]

I've emailed you

 

[peapod25]

I have one racer that has reinjured the same toe several times, similar to what you're describing.  Seems like that toe just is no longer as integrally sound as the others and is more prone to reinjury.  Helps a lot if I ice it immediately when he first comes up lame, along with anti-inflammatory and house arrest.  Speeds up the reduction in swelling.
Also...helps a lot to reduce the pressure on that weight-bearing toe if you get the nail as short as possible (but assuming you're already doing that).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

That's more or less our experience. Gelert had a knocked up toe last year, which the vet initially thought was a ligament injury; when he dislocated the next joint up in March, the x-ray showed that the first injury was actually a chipped bone. I wonder now when the original injury led to the second.

He now has the same problem with scar tissue; if he 'overdoes it', it is prone to swelling. We treat initially with icepack, then bathe with saline solution to reduce any swelling.

However, we've been told that exercise is important (once the swelling has gone down), as the scar tissue needs some stress on it to normalise, otherwise it stays 'soft' and is more prone to injury/tears.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Same here regarding the exercise.

Haven't ever had a chip-fracture. I always get an x-ray whenever there is an injury in a toe just to double check its not a chip. If it were, I believe the treatment protocol is different.

But for the soft-tissue damage, I consider "house arrest" to be light leash exercise. Current literature and vets seem to all recommend modest exercise as soon as possible, contrary to former thinking which was to restrict all activity for the first week or two.

 

[Rae]

Let me know how you do with bone radiol if you try it!

It had to be Rupert :wub:

My suggestion is to BAN DEER. :b

 

[~elizabeth~]

Haven't ever had a chip-fracture.  I always get an x-ray whenever there is an injury in a toe just to double check its not a chip.  If it were, I believe the treatment protocol is different. 

I know, I'm still cross about it, and that's why I mentioned it. I'd insist on getting an x-ray if it happened again. We do go to a greyhound specialist, but I don't think their junior vets are very experienced; one even missed the completely smashed-up toe. Only ever see the senior guy now, who is excellent. As soon as he was sure the joint mend was sound, his advise was to 'walk his legs off', although it was important to start of on level grass, and build up to harder/uneven ground still on lead, then free running.

 

[billyboy45]

About 18 months ago Rupert injured one of his middle toes on his near fore (I suppose you would call it a knocked-up toe).  The 2nd joint was very swollen and that has not decreased much, my Vet thinks it is scar tissue, although he was rested and had a course of Rimadyl and has taken Glucosamine ever since.  When he went to the chiropracter a month or so ago, she had a look at it and said that he had a full range of movement in it.
Two weeks ago, after a deer hunting expedition he has injured it again.  We have gone through the same regime and he seems sound on it but just when I think he is going to stay sound he goes off like a lunatic and is lame again.  The periods of lameness are getting shorter but he is going stir crazy because he is so fit and he just wants to be 'doing' all the time!  I have just started him on Devil's Claw as well as his Glucosamine but has anyone (perhaps from the racing circle) got any other suggestions especially how to reduce the swelling as I have found that because the knuckle is so enlarged it is rubbing on the next toe and getting a sore (which I put wound powder on).  Or is it going to be with him for the rest of his life and I just have to 'manage' it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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Have just seen this,and can tell exactly what you will have to do,although you might not want to.But this is the best way of healing this by far,and is carried out by the top greyhound vets in Ireland on almost a daily occurance.You have to cut the nail back to the stump ,like it or not.You will have a little blood,and a lame dog for a week or so.But this relieves the swelling on the joint and stops it calcifying ,or some big word like this.In 30 odd years of hunting n racing,i have had this problem quite a few times.At the beginning i hadent a clue what to do about it .But after getting to know Brian Johnes,the famous greyhound vet,he showed me what to do.this takes the swellin down by relieving the presure on the toe joints.Try a little Vaziline,between the toes,or the other thing is to place a cotton ball between the toes and lightly bandage the foot.Leaving the tips of the toes bare.The gillotine type nail clippers are best for this job.and the nail should be takin off right back to where it joins the toe. Billy harpur" N Ireland....

PS. I would also advise on using either bone radial or strong iodine to blister the toe.this aids in the healing.Some people put this on with an old tooth brush.Dothis once a day for about 5 days or so.You will notice the patiant getting slightly lamer as this causes the toe to burn and blister.But the outcome is a toe that isnt swolen and knocked anymore.If you fail to sort this out you will end up with a dog who will retyre early ,due to artritus in the toe or toes.I know cause i had.But not since i was shown what to do.