We're going to the white coats tonight [Archive]

pitc9

12-08-2006, 08:09 AM

Little miss Sierra thinks my back yard is her jungle gym :rolleyes:
I have wooden pallets laying down flat in my yard, up against the fence that faces Blizzards yard (for those that don't know... Blizzard is the dog next door that has destroyed my fence and had bitten both dogs several times :mad: )
Well, as you know these pallets have slats (spaces) and she was running around on them and lost her footing and her foot fell between the slats and her dewclaw caught and I don't know if it's partially torn off or if she has a sliver that I can't see but it's become quite nasty. This happened on Sunday (the 2nd) but it's never been very painful or really bothered her at all except for some licking, but the more she licks the more fur comes off and the worse it's looking. So we're going today at 5:00.
I've attached some pics, but it's hard to see. It's her right front.
You can see how the swelling has made it stick out instead of laying flat against her leg like her left front.
And Bud's going with us too because he needs his 3 year rabies shot.

borzoimom

12-08-2006, 08:24 AM

Dewclaws are painful, and can rip. The only one of mine that has them is Femka but she was whelped in the Netherlands, and they do not change the dog in appearance. I imported a shepherd once from Germany that had them. He caught them all the time, and they didnt stick out but laid flat mostly like your dog does.
They can stitch the skin under it and might choose to do so. They can not be removed without major operation as they dew claw bone attaches to leg about 2 months old. Most breeders remove this dew claws at 3 days old. Some for appearance sake, but more so for safety reasons.
Keep us posted- I am sorry she got hurt. Let us know what the vet says they can do. If the claw is not attached to the leg ( rare but can happen) they can take it off. But not if the bone is attached to the leg bone..

Logan

12-08-2006, 10:03 AM

I hope Sierra will be just fine in time. My Lilly is the only one I have whose Dew claws were removed when she was a puppy. I'm so glad. It is less toenails to trim for her and she is HORRIBLE about having her nails clipped!

Keep us posted on how Sierra is doing.

pitc9

12-08-2006, 10:43 AM

But not if the bone is attached to the leg bone..

.... That's what I'm afraid of..... :(

ACD Mom

12-08-2006, 10:53 AM

Those dewclaws can make for some nasty injuries. I hope the vet can get her fixed up! Let us know how she's doing.

sumbirdy

12-08-2006, 11:32 AM

Whino has ripped his dew claw completely out several times but it has never swelled up. I hope the vet fixes her up.

Daisy and Delilah

12-08-2006, 12:51 PM

Awwwww!!! Poor Sierra!! Feel better sweetie. Good luck at the vet :(
Take care of sissy, Buddy :)

ramanth

12-08-2006, 01:01 PM

Owie!!! Hope they can fix Sierra up super quick. I know when I rip off a nail, it hurts a lot! :(

Dorothy39

12-08-2006, 01:10 PM

Oh Sierra, Poor girl~ I'll bet it is sore too.

I hope the White Coats can help her without too much of a hassle~

and,

I'm glad that my "Jackie" doesn't have her dew claws.(Phew)

Please keep us up dated.

borzoimom

12-08-2006, 01:51 PM

.... That's what I'm afraid of..... :(
How did it go???

cyber-sibes

12-08-2006, 01:56 PM

Ouchie! Poor Sierra, hope the vet can fix her right up. Buddy looks like he's feeling sorry for her too.

CathyBogart

12-08-2006, 02:05 PM

Ouchie! Star ripped her dewclaw a few years ago. After some antibiotics and a loose bandage for a few days she was OK, hopefully it will be that easy with Sierra too. Poor pup.

Alysser

12-08-2006, 02:16 PM

OUCH! I cannot even picture how much that hurts. :eek: Poor Sierra. I hope the whitecoats help you, sweetie.

pitc9

12-08-2006, 02:37 PM

How did it go???

We don't go for another hour and a half.
(5:00 EST)

borzoimom

12-08-2006, 02:40 PM

We don't go for another hour and a half.
(5:00 EST)
Okay- we are waiting... Let us know..

Ginger's Mom

12-08-2006, 03:50 PM

Good thoughts going out for Sierra.

chocolatepuppy

12-08-2006, 04:59 PM

Poor Sierra, I hope the vet visit goes well for both her and Buddy. :)

Pam

12-08-2006, 05:04 PM

AWWW! I love the last pic of Buddy trying to see Sierra's boo-boo. Poodles' dew claws are long gone before they leave the breeder so I have no experience with this. As Logan says, I have less toe nails to clip. :) (((Hugs))) to you and Sierra. I will be waiting to see what the vet says.

Husky15

12-08-2006, 05:27 PM

Oh my! Poor Sierra! Positive thoughts that everything is okay! Please tell us how it goes.

pitc9

12-08-2006, 06:46 PM

Well after waiting for over an hour at the vet :mad: he doesn't think the bone is broken (I didn't think so either, it's not quite that painfull for her) she's on antibiotics for 2 weeks and I have to keep a bandage on it to keep her from licking it. (ugh... that will be hard to do)
She was a good girl for the vet and Buddy took his Rabies shot like a man! :D

So... tomorrow I'll have to stock up on my apple bitter, I already have a stocked dog first aid kit filled with gause and wraps so I'm ready to start my fight with Sierra to keep the wrap on! :o

Thank you all for thinking of us!
I'll keep you posted on her recovery!

The best part of the night was when we walked into the waiting room and there were 2 GSD puppies, only a few month old Ohhhhhhh they were SO BLASTED cute!! One little boy and one little girl, the ladies behind the desk said the little boy was barking his full head off until we walked in and Bud gave one BIG bark at them, then the little boy was quite as a mouse!! LOL!
I'm sure he was thinking "One day I'm gonna be THAT big? :eek: "
Buddy's back up to 91 lbs and Sierra has stayed firm at 76 lbs.
She looks like she weights 100 because of her winter coat. :o
Thanks again!!

ACD Mom

12-08-2006, 06:50 PM

Good luck with those bandages! I'm glad it's not anything more serious!

Sierra, you be good for your momma! ;)

Dorothy39

12-08-2006, 06:52 PM

That's a great up date on Sierra :o

2 weeks of antibiotics ought to do the trick~ plus, the apple bitter , of course. ;)

cloverfdx

12-08-2006, 06:59 PM

Goodluck with keeping the bandages on Angie... lots of 'be good Sierra' vibes on the way for you ;). And well done Buddy for being a good boy for the Doc :D.

chocolatepuppy

12-08-2006, 09:21 PM

I wish you luck with the bandage, maybe it won't be so bad. ;) I hope Sierra is all better soon. :)

shais_mom

12-08-2006, 11:55 PM

I hope Sierra will feel better soon!

borzoimom

12-09-2006, 06:23 AM

anna_66

12-09-2006, 07:23 AM

Even with the wait I'm glad to hear things turned out well at the vets. Puppies oh puppies...don't they just make everything better:D

Lots of love and hugs to those good doggies of yours!

pitc9

12-09-2006, 07:24 AM

I am glad it went well. Can you add those veternary wrap bangages over the gause? It might slow her down a little. Remember it hurts if its pressed but I am sure you already know that one... lol
I hope everything goes well. Now- you be good for Mommy now...

I have the strechy, sticky type wraps I put over the gause. Humm... maybe I should soak it all in apple bitter before I put it on!
:D
Oh yeah!! Someone should invent wraps that have bitter already in it! :eek:

Rhi- Thanks... I'll need all the luck I can get to keep them on her! :rolleyes:

borzoimom

12-09-2006, 07:26 AM

Remember not to get the bitter apple on the inside gause as this does have alcohol on it, and it will sting.. Good thing its a weekend, and you can spend the first two days keeping an eye on her chewing.

pitc9

12-09-2006, 07:44 AM

borzoimom

12-09-2006, 08:16 AM

Oh yes, I'm very careful!
I have no doubt you are! Sometimes we just have to say something because of other readers. I found out the hard way, as my vet didnt tell me. I changed a bandage on hottie when he was a puppy and it stung- ( I felt AWFUL!).
Wounds of this nature do not come up much. And this was a good thread!

joycenalex

12-09-2006, 12:19 PM

glad to know it's not broken, does sierra need a cone? i know peanut would eat it off in a newyork minute, regardless of bitter appple.

pitc9

12-10-2006, 11:26 AM

does sierra need a cone? i know peanut would eat it off in a newyork minute, regardless of bitter appple.

Nooo... she HATES Apple Bitter!
(I spray it all over my Chrsitmas decorations too to make sure they don't touch them!)

cloverfdx

12-10-2006, 07:47 PM

I hope you are feeling better today Sierra and are being a good girl for your Mama ;).

mr.chiwawa

12-10-2006, 08:21 PM

OOO Poor baby hope she will be ok. Before I took my puppy home the breeder removed his dew claws.

dukedogsmom

12-10-2006, 08:29 PM

Sorry I'm so late to this. Sierra, I hope you're feeling much better. I know your mommy is taking great care of you. Be sure and get extra treats.

pitc9

12-11-2006, 09:05 AM

Sierra is doing good, we had 8 inches of snow on the ground Thursday but since then the weather has warned up a lot! So everything had melted and has made the yard a mess so when I put them out I wrap Sierra's foot up with a plastic bag to keep the bandage dry.
That got old reeeeeeeal quick! :mad: :p

Temps are going to stay in the upper 40's and lower 50's this entire week.
Wahhh.... the ground to freeze! :p

Giving her the 2 pills twice a day is like trying to force feed an alligator!
Oh she's so bad! :mad: 2 weeks of this.... ugh.

borzoimom

12-11-2006, 09:13 AM

Try putting the pill in cheese or stick it in a teaspoon of cream cheese.. Usually that works for me. Also crushing it in raw hamburger patty..

pitc9

12-11-2006, 09:16 AM

Try putting the pill in cheese or stick it in a teaspoon of cream cheese.. Usually that works for me. Also crushing it in raw hamburger patty..

I've tried it ALL!
All she does is laugh at me! :o

borzoimom

12-11-2006, 09:18 AM

What about peanut butter? Or crushed in a teaspoon of yogurt... lol. Or cottage cheese. ?

pitc9

12-11-2006, 09:25 AM

What about peanut butter? Or crushed in a teaspoon of yogurt... lol. Or cottage cheese. ?

Tried it
Tired it
Still doesn't work

I've tried lunch meat, hamburgers, cheese, peanut butter, treats, steaks, pancakes, everything!

borzoimom

12-11-2006, 09:30 AM

man---- well call the vet and see if you can get it in liquid. Or crush and hide in the dogs dinner with nothing else to eat.

ramanth

12-11-2006, 10:09 AM

Get better soon Sierra and take your meds! :p :D

Cinder & Smoke

12-11-2006, 11:16 AM

Giving her the 2 pills twice a day is like trying to force feed an alligator!

:p

PILL SHOOTER!

Get youself a Pill Shooter - pry the Fangs apart, insert, "shoot" -
and you're DONE with all your fingers intact.

:D

molucass

12-11-2006, 11:16 AM

I'm sorry you are having such a rough time at it with Sierra.
Silly girl!
My Baby is so food oriented, that she will just take her medicine. She thinks she is getting a treat because we get her excited, and then give it to her.

Sending good vibes that you can find something that will make it easier for you to get her to take the medicine.

cyber-sibes

12-11-2006, 01:50 PM

:mad: Now Sierra, STOP THAT! Take your pills for mom, you silly!

Star is also a master of unwrapping, dislodging, refusing pills too. Honestly, the best way I found with her is the direct approach - no bribbing. I pry her mouth open (slip fingers in from the side in front of the molars), toss them as far back as I can get my hand in, hold her muzzle shut and blow on her face (I've heard this triggers them to swallow).
Do you have any dog booties? I bought a set to put on Star when she injured her foot - I only put it on when she goes outside, it's easier than tape & baggies. www.dogbooties.com sells them very inexpensively.

Gooooooooood luck! ;)

pitc9

12-12-2006, 09:03 AM

Thanks for the idea Pat! That would be easier than wrapping a plastic bag on her foot everytime! And since it's going to be in the upper 50's here today :eek: they'll want to spend as much time outside as possible!
Come on already Old Man Winter... it's 13 days before Christmas and the temp is going to be pushing 60 today?!?!? :mad:

WE WANT SNOW!!!!

I mananged to sneak her pills this morning in by wrapping them in turkey and tossing them to her to Snap up!
I made sure to take the pills out of the bottle about an hour before so she didn't hear the bottle rattle! That's what gives me away everytime!

I changed her wrap last night and the swelling has gone down quite a bit already! Yippee!!

joycenalex

12-12-2006, 08:26 PM

gotta be reallly sneaky with a smart dog!

pitc9

12-13-2006, 09:01 AM

Well.... tossing the pills wrapped in lunch meat only worked twice. :mad:
She became suspicious this morning and when I thought I had my back turned to her and was wrapping the pill up, she snuck around to my other side and caught me RED handed!!!!! :eek:
I thought I'd give it a shot any way and threw it in the air (this way she snaps it up real quick because she wants to make sure Bud doesn't get it :rolleyes: )
"Splat" .... she let it fall on the floor, turned her nose up and walked away.
So... I mananged to pry her jaws open and get the pills down the old fashioned way. :rolleyes: Oh... just think... only 9 more days of pills!!

Almost all of the swelling is gone now and she doens't lick it anymore!
Yippee!!
My house and back yard are sprinkled with shreads of gause, tape and wraps. I think she's starting to like Apple Bitter! So I bought bitter lime yesterday!