Dog Paw Injury

[Janet]

A day and a half ago my 8 year old 70+ pound Cattle/boarder collie dog mix got stepped on by my horse - across his toes on his left front foot. It was bad enough that it took a layer of skin off over his middle toe. He is limping - he will put weight on it, but not for long. He still walks to/from the barn with me, but he certainly isn't his normal self. His foot is swollen, but not what I would consider excessively. You can still see the bend from his paw to his leg. He will allow me to wiggle each toe. The wound is no longer "weepy" and has filled in - no hole - just some raw looking flesh. There are no signs of infection (heat, redness around the wound, etc).

He was licking it a lot the first day, so I wrapped it for a few hours. Surprisingly, he left the wrap alone. I unwrapped it last night, and while he does lick it some, it isn't constant. He is sleeping more than usual.

I have not taken him to the vet because I really don't think there is anything they can do for him at this point. I've had more than one hard stomp on my foot from a horse before, and it swells and hurts bad for a week or two, then gets better. I feel bad for his pain, but I am not sure what I can do. I would certainly take him to the vet if he showed ANY signs of infection - or if the swelling was continuing to get worse - or even if he wouldn't let me wiggle his toes.

Is there anything that could be done? I'm not avoiding the vet due to cost. I just honestly don't know what they could do to make it better. Any advice?

Thanks!

[piedmontfields]

The reason I'd go to the vet is for an x-ray. It may be that your dog needs to more confined/less active to permit healing. I know with my crazy bird dogs, it would help me know that I have to keep them on a lead/contained or separated in the house so that they don't "run through the pain" and make it worse!

[Code3]

I'd have the vet look at it as well. Only by knowing what the actual injury is do you know how best to treat it. Hope he heals quickly.

[Suzon]

I had a JRT that got her foot stepped on by a horse in shoes. Her foot swelled up like a balloon. I was grooming at a 4 day horse show (as a full time groom) so I couldn't just whisk her off to the vet. By the end of the show she was walking on it, but it still took her a bit to recover to her bouncy self.

I would definitely go for x-rays just to ease my mind, though.

[LeoApp]

You could at least have gotten some pain meds for your dog.

[amygdala]

imo,you're doing the right thing. if things go downhill, THEN take him to the vet

[Saddlebum]

I'm with amygdala on this. He allows you to wiggle each toe and walks to and from the barn. imo, he's sleeping more because his body is healing - no big deal and, he's just uncomfortable moving around on it right now. The swelling isn't horrendous, has peaked and will continue to go down. Maybe just give it another 2-3 days and then re-evaluate. I broke 3 of my toes and didn't do anything for them. They work fine after 30 years, no arthritis.

Don't believe a vet. would do anything other than spend your money for you at this stage.

[Janet]

Thanks all! He is looking better this morning - his limp at the walk is almost gone. He still has a hitch when he tries to run - which slows him down. That is probably a good thing. The wound looks like it is healing well and he isn't licking it at all any more. I think he is going to live to get underfoot again. He is my shadow. Hopefully he has learned that my shadow needs a bit of space when working around the horse!

[Linden16]

As a person who appreciates not being in pain when it can be helped, I would have hoped you'd at least take him in to get some pain control and antinflammatory meds. Why allow your best friend to be in what had to be some pretty nasty pain for a week when you could help relieve it? I'm sorry I just really don't understand.

If your child had been stomped on, flesh removed and was limping around, swollen and depressed, wouldn't you at least give Tylenol or ibuprofen???

[NancyP]

If your child had been stomped on, flesh removed and was limping around, swollen and depressed, wouldn't you at least give Tylenol or ibuprofen???

Agree... poor fellow....