Charlie's foot is bad again - Upd # 9

[Scooter's Mom]

Charlie had foot problems about 3 years ago...
http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=128825&highlight=charlie

Well, I am a bad meowmie. I don't regularly trim the kitties nails (b/c they hate it!). I got to looking at Charlie's toes this week and that toe that he had surgery on... it's got a problem.

The toenail... it has not stopped growing. It's long! It's all curved and looks like a snail shell. It reminds me of those "Worlds longest nails" pictures in those really old Enquirer magazines from the 1970's that my mom used to get.

I can squeeze it and poke it - it doesn't seem to bug him.

He's got a vet appt. on Saturday at noon.

Could ya'll say a happy thought or two for him?

[Catty1]

Prayers for Charlie! I am glad it doesn't hurt him...hopefully he will give the vet no fuss when it's taken care of. :)

But - wasn't it surgically removed so it wouldn't grow at ALL any more?

Maybe it has an evil twin!

Kissies on Charlie's head and prayers for a good outcome.

[Scooter's Mom]

Well, I *thought* they removed the whole thing. I found out this weekend that they didn't. It's Gross looking!

At least this gets him in and gets him updated on his shots and registered with the new vet.

Ever since Scooter got sick, I've been migrating my pets over from our old vet to the new one. The old one made me upset by firing all the vet techs and the front desk lady that I liked so much... and cutting their hours. I know times are hard and me switching to a new vet is just adding to their problems, but I really only went for the staff (not the vet herself). And the vets at the new office are wonderful!

[jennielynn1970]

Poor Charlie!! What a meanie head of a vet to do this to your poor kitty, lol.

Seriously, I hope they will take care of it properly and make sure it doesn't come back. Maybe he has to be "declawed" on that one paw area like a regular declawing... or did they do that already???

I had growths coming from Honeybun's toes that I swore were like unicorn horns, and I thought that it was a nail growing back out of his already declawed feet, and here it is what they call a cutaneous horn. are you sure it's not that??? They don't hurt them, and they are somewhat "softer" than what a regular nail would be. See what the vet says in any case.

HUGS to you and to Charlie!!

[Scooter's Mom]

Jennie, I googled cutaneous horns. I don't think that's it. This is the actual nail.

It's really tight together, but reminds me of this:
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/popup?id=3897859

It's really long and spiralled/circled into itself almost like a snail shell. I think the nail just didn't stop growing like the others have.

I'm confident the new vet clinic will get it taken care of! :)

[Randi]

Lots of good thoughts for Charlie that his nail gets fixed and there'll be no pain. Hopefully, the new vet is good, and gentle with him. :love:

[catmandu]

I have to keep an eye on Michael My Dream Cat as he has nails that grow like that and curve into his paw pad.:eek::eek:
But it doesnt seem to cause him pain, although he doesnt like when I put alcohol on it to disinfect the pad.:eek:
We are hoping and praying that Charlies paw is all right Saturday.:love::love::love:

[Catlady711]

A cutaneous horn grows from the pad of the toe, the nail grows from just above that. Jack and Pooky both have cutaneous horns and I just trim them when I trim the nails. Doesn't bother them as it has no blood supply or nerve endings. If it's causing pain to the animal it's not a cutaneous horn.

Not knowing if the previous surgery was a single toe declaw and they didn't get all the material out, or if it was just removing the offending part temporarily, it is very possible for a nail to grow back.

It's kinda like having an ingrown toenail surgery done on people, if all the material isn't scraped out, or removed the nail will regrow. I also am familar with that as my dad has had to have 3 toenail surgeries done because his keep growing back. I've only had the one surgery (both big toes) about 1 1/2 years ago and mine still havent grown back. I think it's a difference in doctor experience and dilegence (sp?)

Either way I hope they can find a more permenant solution so Charlie doesn't have any more problems in the future. I hope everything resolves soon.

[Scooter's Mom]

Charlie got his two shots and had his vet visit today. He's about normal at 7.1 lbs. He was real sweet and then when they took him back to trim his nails and get that one that's growing all funky, he turned into demon cat on them. After trying for almost an hour (with spells of inactivity to let him calm down) we've decided the ONLY way to do this for him is to have him put under anesthesia and done.

So, Monday night we're dropping him off. He'll get put under Tuesday morning and they will cut all his nails and trim that one that's growing funny up.

*sigh* leave it to my crazy boy. A 13.00 nail trim is going to cost $100 because he's got to be put under to do it.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sorry to hear that he has to be anesthetized to have his nails trimmed. Hopefully everything will go well. So will they be declawing the funky nail so that this won't happen again?

[Laura's Babies]

LOL! Some just HATE having their nails done while other will let you do whatever you want with them.. Boo had one last year that had grown into the pad of her paw and I have been keeping a close eye on that one. That one claw for some reason, she does not want you to touch!! I clipped it just the other day after trying many different times. It was all I could do to get the clipper around it to cut it because it was right at her pad. She still don't like having her nails clipped but she does tolerates it better than she did... except for that one...

Maybe they can also clean his teeth while he is under or something to get more bang for your bucks? LOL!

[Scooter's Mom]

I don't think we're going to go the de-claw route unless absolutely necessary. We'll just keep an eye on it and go from there.

His teeth... it's odd. The last vet said his teeth were "awful" and he would need them cleaned within a year or two. Well, 2 vets and a vet tech looked at his teeth at the new office and said, "well he has a tiny bit of tartar. I'd recommend getting them cleaned at around age 10 for this guy."

The old place may have charged less for their services, but the new place seems to only want to do what is really needed.

[Catty1]

Gosh, that is expensive. Would a heavy sedative not accomplish the same thing?

In any case, I hope he is well and trimmed soon!

Sounds like you did luck out on your new vet, though.:)

[Pinot's Mom]

I'm glad things seem to be working out well with the new vet; hugs to Charlie and prayers for an easy time with the anesthesia.:love: