Broken Toe !!!

[Tommy 9]

R 8 Fella's, been out this morning with the dogs and my bitch has broken her front inside left toe while running on a concrete farm track. The break didn't seem to cause the dog much pain as she allowed me to strap it up pretty tightly. In the past if a dog broke a toe we would strap it up and let it heal on it's own. They then weld/callus together and becomes one bone and they never broke again.

 

Any suggestions, what course of action do you usually take ????

 

All the best Tommy.

[socks 32,253]

the first thing to do id to remove the nail right back to the toe to prevent callousing ........

[Tommy 9]

Just been talking to a ex-greyhound trainer and he said he always left the toe to heal naturally if it was the first time it had broken. If the toe broke again then he would consider amputation or 'pin firing'. He was saying he always gave the toe 4 - 6 weeks to heal, with dog having little to NO exercise.

 

All the best Tommy.

[Guest trev]

If the toe is left to callous it will never heel properly, it will become hard and straight and will stick out.

The reason the nail is cut back is to release the blood that builds up at the brake and prevent the the blood going hard which is what the calous it.

Alot will depend on the brake, there are 4 ligements to each toe, two on either side, if its allowed calous this restricts the movement of the ligaments which in turn restricts the movement of the toe.

If its the first or second joint thats gone once the nail is cut back you will neaqrly always get the toe back with time off, if its the third joint thats gone its called a swinger and is a little more complicated to get right.

Pin firing something that vets dont really do now because its easier to remove the toe from the joint thats gone, but if you can get the toe fired its the best job of the lot, basically how it works is parrallel to each joint on both sides of the toe there are two small holes, a hot iron is inserted into each hole and the ligament is burnt to allow movememnt with the rest of the toe, if the third joint goes i would recomend the toe be removed.