sore spots on toes

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birds
Rank: Senior Hunter
Posts: 111
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2018 2:05 pm
Location: montana

sore spots on toes

Post by birds » Thu Oct 22, 2020 6:03 pm

Hello All -
My 16 month old setter somehow acquired a puncture wound on the main pad of his right foot. I used Bag Balm on it and rested him for 10 days and it closed up. I hunted him last week with a duct tape boot/with vet-wrap/gauze underneath. It got wet so I changed the wrap midway thru the 3 hour hunt. The wound on his pad opened up a little again and he began incessantly licking the top of the outside first knuckle (nearest nail) of the same foot. Being a newbie I just rubbed his pad with Bag Balm again and didn't think too much about the licking, but over the weekend it was clear the licking of the toe was becoming greater problem - the fur disappeared on the top of the knuckle (I assume from licking) and a raw spot the size of a small pea began to weep a tiny bit of blood. He went to the vet three days ago and the vet could not find anything wrong with the toe/knuckle or any foreign object in it. The pad is healing well. She told me to wrap the foot with gauze/vet wrap and use a cone of shame when we could not monitor him. This we have done. The toe seems to be improving but an identical spot on the left knuckle of the same foot is starting up now - he has not been able to lick this area. I have been wrapping the foot with gauze and vet-wrap (not too tight) and changing several times a day (he lives in the house but we have snow on the ground here). He has not limped at all thru this, the toe licking (and his dramatic gloom over the cone) are the only outward signs anything is wrong on his end. He has not hunted, only gone for short leash walks and short trips into our fenced yard. My question is: Have any of you seen this and could it be caused by friction from wrapping the foot with gauze/vet wrap to protect the pad? Any suggestions on what to do? Sorry about the length of this post!
Thanks!

shags
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Posts: 2717
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:57 pm

Re: sore spots on toes

Post by shags » Sat Oct 24, 2020 5:56 am

I would guess that the boot rubbed and irritated the toes. Because it stings or itches or whatever, the dog licks it and starts a cycle of sore, lick, more sore, more lick, on and on and on. the cone interrupts the cycle and gives the sore spots a chance to heal. But the thing is, you have to careful that the dog doesn't get even a minute to go back to licking until it's healed up.

IME sometimes it works better not to bandage and wrap, just apply whatever salve/meds the vet says is OK and use the cone. The more you fuss, the more the dog pays attention to it.

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