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Post by samburns on Nov 27, 2008 15:22:55 GMT -5
Can anyone advise us..... Have read lots of material but still don't understand what we need to do to alleviate/manage pain Not surpirsingly 3 visits to the vets did not result in a diagnosis of corns  (although vet is interested and eager) The rehoming kennels we got Jazz from (and go to every weekend to walk) got him seen by a trainer who cut out two corns (one on each foot) about a month ago prior to that, realising at least that he was troubled walking, although not fully understanding why) we started using boots ('walker') on both feet and continue to do so - take them off when on grass or sand I know corns are likely to keep coming back  Already he is lifting one foot when just standing, so i gently pressed the sides of one of his toes and he pulled back, it looks crusty so I fear either the corn has come back or it was not completely removed and has continued growing under the skin (pad looks a bit crusty, rather than a white pinpoint) I hate the thought of keep having him in any pain, whether through walking with a corn or having it removed I also don't understand whether we should be softening his pads or toughening them up (have seen various creams advice for both) Also his nails are suffering from not being worn down and are splitting slightly which also worries me..... Any advice on nasty corns? |
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Post by Houndlover on Nov 27, 2008 16:36:14 GMT -5
I had a whippet with corns and after trying many things, all of which didn't work for him, so the only thing that could be done was have the toes removed. This never affected him in the slightest and he was pain free.
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Post by Flaperoo on Nov 27, 2008 17:22:39 GMT -5
Thankfully I have never had this problem with any of my hounds, but we sometimes walk with a dog who had problems with this for ages They eventually had two of her toes amuptated. I agree with Corinne it has worked a treat. She runs around with my lot now completely pain free and without any disability. Mx |
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Amber
Ironing Piling Up
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Post by Amber on Nov 30, 2008 17:46:42 GMT -5
My friend has got a chronic corny greyhound too. Took about a year of going to the vet (who kept telling her that dogs don't get corns and giving antibiotics!) before she was sent to Vet School, who eventually diagnosed corns! The veterinary route has been unsuccessful. Her grey has had several (very expensive) ops to remove corns, then had part of her toes removed....but the corns just keep coming back. There is a method called 'hulling' that is popular in the US - where the corn is literally hulled out of the pad (by a vet) with a special tool. I did read an article ages ago, but sorry don't know where now! If you try googling greyhound corns + hulling, hopefully it will come up. My friend now pretty much manages the corns by using corn plasters, corn ointment and picking out the corn herself and Walkers boots on the dog, especially on hard ground. Keeping the corns at bay seems to be the key thing. The surgical route doesn't seem to work well and means the dog is laid up in bandages for weeks on end, every 6 months, just about! Personally I would try to find out about hulling, print off the article and get your vet to hull the corns out. Aha! Found the link - everthing you need to know about corny dogs! www.grassmere-animal-hospital.com/corns.htm |
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Post by Houndlover on Dec 1, 2008 2:50:20 GMT -5
No I agree about only having part of the toe removed, it just doesn't work, but mine had toes removed on both front feet and was bandage and pain free within 2 weeks.
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Post by FeeFee on Dec 1, 2008 4:23:13 GMT -5
I'm going through this with Jess at the moment, she has corns on two pads on each of her front feet, so removing the toes isn't really an option for her. It's proving a nightmare to manage  We've been having them hulled regularly, but they come back so quickly I'm questioning whether it is worth carrying on with this - the procedure is obviously uncomfortable and she's getting quite upset about having it done, and the effects seem to last less than a week before she's limping again. At the moment I'm using cream to soften them as much as possible and restricting her exercise to soft ground, but it means she is missing out on longer walks as there are few places we can go which don't involve some hard-surface walking. Personally if it was just one toe involved I'd definitely go for having it removed as the only thing that seems to be a permanent effective solution. |
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Post by Jane and Sara on Dec 1, 2008 5:15:01 GMT -5
I've been managing Poppy's corns for two years - she has them on all four feet and operations/amputations are not an option. I regularly cut out the worst of the corns, apply E45 to keep the pads soft and she wears Therapaw boots when she goes out. She never limps when she has her boots on but is sometimes a bit uncomfortable walking at home. If she is too bad I give her Metacam for a couple of days. On the whole we manage quite well and the boots are excellent. The answer really is deep carpet, lots of duvets and boots. If it is just one corn I would consider having the toe removed.
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Post by samburns on Dec 8, 2008 16:11:04 GMT -5
Thanks for all the advice it is really appreciated. Our situation so far is that we have had Jazz for six months and noticed lameness from the first week - poor boy was getting longer walks and more frequently than in the kennels from which we rehomed him so a corn problem was never picked up while he was there... From that first week it is now obvious (although as new greyhound owners it was not then...) that he had a corn on each foot... They were both hulled about 6 weeks ago and one has come back - with a vengence  We are kind of reluctant at this stage to have his toe amputated given the short amount of time that we have had him to actually moniter the situation, but would certainly not exclude that in the future.... Went to the vets today (routine boosters) and discussed corns with vet Vet had NEVER seen a corn in a dog before....(um despite being in Walthamstow where there are a fair few greys per dog head) He is a new vet, very keen and interested (we never seem to see the same vet....) and said that he would talk to a vet he knows in Manchester who deals ONLY with greys to get further advice Jazz's corn, says the vet is about 5mm deep....all i know is that it is definitely causing plenty of pain at the moment... Vet has said he thinks surgery on the corn is the only way forward....seems most gappers who have experience with corns do not recommend that option Jazz is now 8 so we do not really want to go down the general anaestetic route if it is not going to help in the long term Definitely getting Therapaws though....any advice on whether we should get 2 to balance things out or just the one for the affected foot and generally on surgery removal route ? Sam |
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Post by Jane and Sara on Dec 10, 2008 7:34:25 GMT -5
I would go for two boots - and I personally would hesitate to go down the op. route - if there is only one toe affected that's fine but Poppy started with two and now has six - obviously she can't have six toes operated on at once - so it would involve multiple ops with no guarantee.....
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Post by andywillow on Dec 10, 2008 10:17:21 GMT -5
Sasha my Gap sponsor girl came here almost 2 years ago. She had a corn on her front pad and caused a lot of pain when walking out on hard ground. My vet said he would remove it, he was adament if he dug deep enough he would get it all out and there was no way it would grow back. She had it removed, spent weeks in bandages, stitches came out and all seemed well. Not many months later it returned again Sue |
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Post by Flaperoo on Dec 10, 2008 10:33:25 GMT -5
I know you are reluctant to remove the toes, but they really do cope well without them.
We have just come back from a long walk with our friends grey who has had two toes amputated from two different legs, you really wouldn't know she has had it done at all.
Mx
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Post by Houndlover on Dec 11, 2008 7:28:48 GMT -5
I know you are reluctant to remove the toes, but they really do cope well without them. We have just come back from a long walk with our friends grey who has had two toes amputated from two different legs, you really wouldn't know she has had it done at all.Mx I totally agree with Mary, having the toes removed sounds to US (humans) very traumatic but in the long term IMO it is the best option for the DOG  |
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Post by Jane and Sara on Dec 11, 2008 11:48:09 GMT -5
I would have a toe removed if it was just one or two toes - unfortunately don't think Poppy would manage without 6!
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Post by samburns on Dec 11, 2008 14:22:47 GMT -5
Thanks for all the advice...it is great to hear from others who have had the same problem I definitely want to find the best solution for Jazz I now think that his corn problem probably went unnoticed for some time and may be behind some of his nervousness He can't go on as he is and the vet has no experience so is probably not in the best position to advise us Definitely not against amputation and did not mean to give that impression but more worried that we do not yet have a clear picture as to the full extent of the problem since its only been 6 months and already there has been one on each foot but maybe we just need to bite the bullet................ Thanks again for the wise words - got to speak again to OH who wants to put his faith in the vet. |
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Post by ellieraven on Dec 13, 2008 12:46:48 GMT -5
Hello there, my dog kym was limping quite badly and I found a corn, at first I thought it was a foreign body as it was quite large. Took her to the vet and he confirmed a corn and he removed it on Wednesday ans she had bandage off today and its healed really well - I just hope it doesn't come back as I don't think my pet insurance would pay out on something that was reoccuring. She is walking without a limp now !
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