Bailey's toe is driving me crazy!

**Sevens** · 07-31-2003, 01:35 PM

Bailey's toe is doing pretty good it seems. We have not done the sock/plastic bag or boot thing because we can't get them to stay on. The vet said that it was to make sure that she didn't get it dirty/muddy.

We've kept her only on the sidewalks, with the occasional patch of grass/flower bed to go potty on. She doesn't dig her toe into the dirt, doesn't do the scratch dance, so I think if there was any dirt, it would be on the toe pad, not up into the nail. We wipe her feet when she comes in.

She's doing fine with the Epsom salt soaks. The swelling has gone down quite a bit and she's only tried to lick at it about 4 times. Like I said previously, the hardest part is making sure she doesn't play with Guinness. I feel guilty about that part, because they SOOOOOO want to play together and both of them probably aren't getting enough exercise. Oh well, hopefully we can tough it out until next week and I think we'll be ok then.

There's one thing I did notice that I did want to ask. When Chester and Rocky went through this stuff, did the area of the quick that was exposed look black to you while it was healing? I mean, it looks almost black, but I think maybe it looks black like a scab looks kinda black.

**micki76** · 07-31-2003, 02:27 PM

Glad to hear she's doing good.

Yes, Chester's did look very dark. I think it was from the medication the vet put on it initially to stop the bleeding. If you're worried about the way it looks, call your vet and ask why it looks the way it does. I call mine for every little thing and they're great about answering questions.

**KYS** · 07-31-2003, 06:41 PM

YAAA!!!!
I am so glad Bailey is being such a good girl and
letting her toe heal properly.
To be honest, I do not remember Rocky's toe
turning black. Than again, all's I remember was
raw than pink for awhile.

I agree with micki76, it doesn't hurt to call the vet and ask.

Sending Baily plenty of healing kisses.

**tatsxxx11** · 07-31-2003, 07:03 PM

I'm so happy to hear that Bailey's doing so well with her treatment. And how nice that Rocky and Chester's Moms are here to offer support and advice!

Hugs to you Bailey...keep up the good work!l

**Sevens** · 07-31-2003, 08:55 PM

Yeah, I think I will call the vet tomorrow. I know they have later hours in the summer, so if they are open until 6pm tomorrow, I might take her in after work and have them look at it to make sure it's healing ok.

Sheeesh, it was so hard to keep her calm tonite...my cousin was visiting my grandma who is about 3 hours west of me. Granma has ovarian cancer and they don't think she'll make it through the year.

Anyway, my cousin took her two sons and baby twin daughters to see Granma and came back through here on her way home (cousin lives 1.5 hour east of me). Bailey saw the kids and went nuts, she soooo wanted to play.

Sometimes I wish the vet had given me Valium to keep her calm for the week.

**Sevens** · 07-31-2003, 09:02 PM

Here is a picture of her toe...it's not very good, I guess it would be better if I had a better camera and a tired dog.

**lovemyshiba** · 07-31-2003, 09:49 PM

Glad to hear Bailey's toe is on the mend.
I hope I never have to go through that with any of mine--I cannot imagine keeping them calm!!!
You deserve an award when Bailey's all healed!!!!!

**MaxandSpike'sMom** · 07-31-2003, 10:36 PM

Glad to hear that Bailey's toe is healing.

Sending get well wishes to Bailey!

**KYS** · 07-31-2003, 11:30 PM

It's hard to tell by the picture.
Is that black part, Baily's toe nail sticking out or
all black skin? Rocky's toe nail was cut off all the way back
"into the quick", you could not even see any nail.
It was all new growth comming out of his toe.

IF that is her toenail, I bet their will be new healthy nail growth
comming out, and the black part of the nail is dry blood/bruise will either fall off or you can eventually trim it, as her healthy nail growns in.

Vet call is free, now I want to know. lol

**Sevens** · 08-01-2003, 08:09 PM

Nope, Bailey's toe is not black...it's supposed to look pink and white like the other nails beside it.

I did get to talk to the vet today. She did say that the black coloring to the quick area was a scabby part. She said it will look funny for the next few months while the bad/dead part grows out and the new healthy nail comes in.

I asked her about infection. She said we should pay attention to the smell of her feet especially. She said that's how they noticed it was getting infected when they were getting ready to quick the nail. I guess you had to be really close to the nail, cause I didn't even notice a smell. Also, she said to pay attention to the swelling and other common sense stuff like not bearing weight on it and excessive licking.

And also she said little bits of the nail might chip off, because it is just the dead nail flaking away.

Guess since she's my first, I'm being a little overprotective right now. It's so hard to try to convince her that not playing with Guinness is for her own good.

The vet said keep up the seperation from Guinness thing and soaking thing until next Saturday and she should be fine....whew, 8 more days to go?

DICE · 02-24-2005, 11:13 AM

HI MY DOG IS GOING THREW THE SAME THING NOW.

COULD U PLEASE TELL ME HOW LONG IT TOOK FOR YOUR DOG SWELLING TO GO DOWN?

IM WORRIED ABOUT HER SHE'S MY BABY.

ITS BEEN 2 WEEKS SINCE SHE TORN HER NAIL AND IT'S STILL SWOLLEN I TOOK HER TO THE VET LAST NIGHT AND HE SAID TO SOAK IT IN EPSOM SALT 3 TIMES A DAY AND SHES ON ANTIBIOTICS. HE SAID NOT TO MAKE HER LICK IT AND PUT A SOCK ON HER.

HE WANTS TO SEE HER BACK IN 6 DAYS TO SEE IF THE SWELLING GOES DOWN.

SHE ALSO PLAYS WITH ANOTHER DOG WHO ALWAYS STEPS ON HER FEET WHEN THEY PLAY.

PLEASE HELP AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU DOD AND HOW LONG IT TOOK FOR THE SWELLING TO GO DOWN.

THANKS,
MARY

**web-rover** · 02-26-2005, 08:38 PM

a very familiar site lol

**IRescue452** · 03-03-2005, 01:42 PM

Be sure to have aroung some quik-stop powder to stop the bleeding when she tears her nails. Dogs lose a lot of blood when they cut the quick and depending on the size of the dog it can be quite dangerous. I would recommend quicking as the vet said under a general anestetic. It is painful at first but the pain will let up and the nail will grow back normally. Autumn is always playing too rough and breaking her nails short. At some pet stores you can buy nail caps for cats (and they fit some dogs) as a humane alternative to declawing. We buy the biggest we can find and put those on her broken nails and leave them on until they grow out of them.

**Muddy4paws** · 03-03-2005, 07:42 PM

I work in a pet groomers, ive bathed a dog like this before she was a rescue though and she had been very neglected but they had to cut down her nails so they could grow again and she also had to have some removed but im sure your dog wont need this done! she was in a bad way when the new owners first got her!

Ive seen this dog once again when she came in for another bath and her nails seemed to be growing back fine but we still wasnt allowed to cut them but they sawa vet about it and he was able to sort it out for her