Torn CCL (aka ACL)

[MARYDVM]

Have you got down nose to toe and looked all along the skin-nail junction? The simplest injury is partially detaching the nail. It doesn't have to be dangling to cause a lot of pain, because everytime they put their foot down the nail moves against the damaged nailbed. You usually see bruising or a little blood, but might have to trim some toe hair back to get a good look.

As far as wraps/splints for broken toe, I gave up on Bliss after 5 days and just relied on crate rest. Any rigid support we tried she broke, even being on leash the whole time.

[BostonRott]

Hahaha, lemme put Ban away before I do that, she'll think that's a great game! "Attack Vikka's toes, I can do that!!!"

[frontierrots]

Oh yeah. the old pulled but out pulled out or broken toenail thing. :( We see that allll the time at the kennel.

With my own dogs we've have broken off nails, bent over nails, pulled out nails and slightly pulled nails. ALL are pretty painful. The partially pulled nail is sooo difficult to diagnose too. You actuall have to push the fur back and look at the nail bed and even then sometimes it is tough

I hope that's it, that's an easy fix. Either the nail falls off or it heals in place. Both are trialable injuries in just a few weeks

[fbkeays]

It looks like you are thinking more along the lines of a toe injury- lets hope so. I know with Misty blowing her knee, I was right there when it happened. Believe me, she was in immediate pain. She was doing a slow recall. We were in a park and I called her to me. She was about 50 feet away, I heard a pop, she yelped and went three legged. She could not do weight bearing. She never did lay sphinx before or after so I can't tell you this. She sits with the foot hanging out the side, with her "good" leg under her center. Even now when she sits "square", she has her TPLO foot out from under her.
Misty did some amazing things before we had the surgery. She would jump up and only be supported by her good leg. She was so active at the specialist vet that before the actual exam, the vet was saying she was doubtful that Misty had anything more serious then a strain. She was able to do the drawer test without sedation. The vet was very surprised that after seeing Misty ping-ponging around the exam room that she was able to do the drawer so readily.

[BostonRott]

This morning she's weight bearing pretty well. I allowed her upstairs last night (though not on the bed), and the stairs definitely were a bit of a struggle, but otherwise, she's getting around MUCH better. Toe is still swollen and "floppy," we leave for the vet in 10 minutes. Hehehhee, Vik is getting an ambulance escort to the vet.

[BostonRott]

Sneaking online from the ER

Vik had a badly dislocated toe. Due to the time elapsed from when the injury occured, they didn't think they could put it back, however, after seeing the film, they did attempt it (not sure if it will stay or not). So she's back on strict crate rest to see if the re-set will hold, as well as herbal anti-inflammatories and arnica.

Big relief to know that her knee is fine!!

[BostonRott]

We managed to swing by the house again, I think the toe is back out, don't think the fix "held." Guess she's gonna have to live with it. She'll be on restricted activity for a bit to let it heal more. I guess this happens with greyhounds and it significantly slows them down permanently. Hopefully with a harder-headed breed, that won't be an issue.

[flyballmom]

Can't it be reset then casted or soft-bandaged?? Just for a few days till things tighten back up?

Originally Posted by BostonRott

We managed to swing by the house again, I think the toe is back out, don't think the fix "held." Guess she's gonna have to live with it. She'll be on restricted activity for a bit to let it heal more. I guess this happens with greyhounds and it significantly slows them down permanently. Hopefully with a harder-headed breed, that won't be an issue.

[MARYDVM]

Even if the toe stay seperated, it should heal pain free in time. I think the the way it affects greyhounds might be more due to their style of running - flexing the spine and really digging in with their toes during each leap forward. A Rottie with relatively big, wide feet shouldn't lose any advantage by having one toe just along for the ride.

[BostonRott]

Cool, thanks! Would it also be a correct assumption that if this happened Friday evening, and was not re-set until Monday, that there is permanent stretching/damage done to the ligaments and little hope of having it re-set yet again, bandaged and healing correctly? (I will NOT consider surgery for something like this).

[MARYDVM]

I have found the best way for toes to heal is to pretty much leave them alone. The bones are so small, the movement in the joints and ligaments of the foot is continuous, the weight bearing stress unavoidable (too bad they can't use crutches) you just can't keep fractures/dislocations lined up. But they heal despite all that. Worst case scenario, if for some reason there is pain, or lack of healing, you could fuse the joint down the road. But I can't imagine it coming to that.