Dog being odd with paw ?
Discussion
Sorry its a long one. Just wondering if anyone has any experience of similar or any ideas before I go and splash another £50 ath the vets.
Not last Thursday but the one before dog was fine and we had our afternoon run around as usual, no dramas. Later on in the evening noticed the dog was limping and alternately holding up front paws and was then pretty lifeless for the night. Checked her over but couldn't see anything wrong so though maybe she was just a bit stiff.
Friday morning she was pretty lifeless. Eventually managed to get her out of the house to go for a walk but she got to the end of the drive limping then dragged me back to the house came in and went back to curling up in the living room. OH was off work so was ok to watch her for the day. Apparently dog hardly moved all day. Was still quiet when I came home which is very unusual. I eventually got her out for a 5 min walk just so she would go to the loo, she was very slow and limped a lot
Checked her over again after that and saw that the inside toe claw on her front left paw was bleeding/weeping. Gave it a clean up but couldn't see any obvious damage.
Saturday she was still pretty lifeless and limping so took her to the vet. Vet had a feel around and decided that the toe I said had bled ( had stopped bleeding now) was very swollen, she also though the inside toe on the front right was a bit swollen too. Vet gave us some pain killer and said just to rest the dog for 5 days and see how she goes.
By Monday dog had perked up and going for longer walks (on lead) and by the end of walks she was looking very happy and spritely.
since Thursday the dog has been back at full lunatic and wanting to run lots and play in the house. Appetite fine etc. But she keeps licking at that claw.
It doesn't look swollen anymore and it's deffo not bleeding.
It doesn't seem to be hurting her as she is never limping or holding it up and she is happy for me to poke around and inspect it.
She will either be lying down and suddenly decide to lick it or and this is what I'm finding a bit odd she can be wandering/ trotting around the house and will suddenly stop then sniff the air, sniff around the floor and eventually sniff her way to her paw, lick it a few times and carry on, sometimes then sitting down and looks sorry for herself.
Just wondering if this is normal and will fix itself (she has been the same for about 4 days now) , is it maybe infected from where it was bleeding? Will that sort itself out or will I need to go get antibiotics? Any other ideas?
Dog is a nearly 4 year old Belgian shepherd.
Not last Thursday but the one before dog was fine and we had our afternoon run around as usual, no dramas. Later on in the evening noticed the dog was limping and alternately holding up front paws and was then pretty lifeless for the night. Checked her over but couldn't see anything wrong so though maybe she was just a bit stiff.
Friday morning she was pretty lifeless. Eventually managed to get her out of the house to go for a walk but she got to the end of the drive limping then dragged me back to the house came in and went back to curling up in the living room. OH was off work so was ok to watch her for the day. Apparently dog hardly moved all day. Was still quiet when I came home which is very unusual. I eventually got her out for a 5 min walk just so she would go to the loo, she was very slow and limped a lot
Checked her over again after that and saw that the inside toe claw on her front left paw was bleeding/weeping. Gave it a clean up but couldn't see any obvious damage.
Saturday she was still pretty lifeless and limping so took her to the vet. Vet had a feel around and decided that the toe I said had bled ( had stopped bleeding now) was very swollen, she also though the inside toe on the front right was a bit swollen too. Vet gave us some pain killer and said just to rest the dog for 5 days and see how she goes.
By Monday dog had perked up and going for longer walks (on lead) and by the end of walks she was looking very happy and spritely.
since Thursday the dog has been back at full lunatic and wanting to run lots and play in the house. Appetite fine etc. But she keeps licking at that claw.
It doesn't look swollen anymore and it's deffo not bleeding.
It doesn't seem to be hurting her as she is never limping or holding it up and she is happy for me to poke around and inspect it.
She will either be lying down and suddenly decide to lick it or and this is what I'm finding a bit odd she can be wandering/ trotting around the house and will suddenly stop then sniff the air, sniff around the floor and eventually sniff her way to her paw, lick it a few times and carry on, sometimes then sitting down and looks sorry for herself.
Just wondering if this is normal and will fix itself (she has been the same for about 4 days now) , is it maybe infected from where it was bleeding? Will that sort itself out or will I need to go get antibiotics? Any other ideas?
Dog is a nearly 4 year old Belgian shepherd.
Arthritis is unlikely as she is young and it's rare for a digit to be affected before any more major joints. If it was infected OP you would probably see a swelling around the claw and it would have a lot of heat to it as well as being painful even if she is on painkillers. I'm guessing metacam (other brands available) which isn't strong.
If her demeanour has improved over the last few days and she just occasionally licks it then I'd keep her as is until she is due to go back to see the vet for a re-check anyway as it's not long is it? Try to stop her licking it if you can, did the vet tell you to bathe it at all?
If her demeanour has improved over the last few days and she just occasionally licks it then I'd keep her as is until she is due to go back to see the vet for a re-check anyway as it's not long is it? Try to stop her licking it if you can, did the vet tell you to bathe it at all?
no the vet seemed to ignore the info I gave her about it bleeding, as it was not bleeding when she looked at it. she just insisted it was a minor sprain. Painkillers were Loxicam/com something like that, had them for about 5 days.
The dog has seemed right as rain now ever since apart from the licking. Its quite a lot of licking though, at least every couple of mins if she is not asleep or on a walk.
The dog has seemed right as rain now ever since apart from the licking. Its quite a lot of licking though, at least every couple of mins if she is not asleep or on a walk.
Yes that's just an anti inflammatory, ibuprofen for dogs really so it'll take the edge off but wouldn't hide a broken toe or anything like that. If it's no longer bleeding and isn't swollen anymore I'd go with the vets advice of getting her back to excercise but I'd do it progressively so if it is a sprain it isn't over stressed too soon.
Well we came home from the vets and had a 10 min play around the house then dinner. 2 hours lates I take the vets advice and go to take dog for a jog. Dog didn't want to go out, we made it all of 20 yards and she was limping really badly, worse than when this started. She say down and gave me her paw so I went to have a look and as soon as I touched it she yelped. Has been fairly quiet but licking a lot and looking rather uncomfortable all evening. Still limping badly 
Nail bed infection?
It made my hound lick one front paw incessantly. I cut the affected nail short of the quick and goo came out of the centre which cued frenzied licking. The goo really smelled so possibly she could smell it while it was still almost completely sealed in the nail.
I was going to take her to the vets in the morning but overnight the licking stopped, the goo dried up and everything was fine.
I mentioned it to the vet the next time I went in and she thought it could have been a fungal thing in the hollow of the nail. When I dried and cooled the environment by opening it up, it killed the infection.
It made my hound lick one front paw incessantly. I cut the affected nail short of the quick and goo came out of the centre which cued frenzied licking. The goo really smelled so possibly she could smell it while it was still almost completely sealed in the nail.
I was going to take her to the vets in the morning but overnight the licking stopped, the goo dried up and everything was fine.
I mentioned it to the vet the next time I went in and she thought it could have been a fungal thing in the hollow of the nail. When I dried and cooled the environment by opening it up, it killed the infection.
sounds a better guess than what the vets have come up with.
Dog was quite happy to get up and go for a walk this morning, no limping or crying. Still licking the paw before and after though.
Will give it a few days of doing what the vet said with salt water cleaning and ramping up the exercise and see how she goes.
Dog was quite happy to get up and go for a walk this morning, no limping or crying. Still licking the paw before and after though.
Will give it a few days of doing what the vet said with salt water cleaning and ramping up the exercise and see how she goes.
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