UPDATE: Look at Spud's Toe, Please

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I have no idea. Hot Spot?  Allergy?  Are allergies presented in just one toe like this or usually a greater area of the paw?   Yesterday is was really much darker than the rest of his skin. I thought it looked bruised.  Blue/black.

My guess it that he stubbed it outside on the lawn debris ~ tree branches, sticks, rocks or he ran into the baseboard when he slides on the wood flooring.  He does this a lot.

 He will play, then suddenly stop and start licking the foot and settle down.

If it was broken, would he still be able to walk?  Dogs are funny that way so who knows.

He did not move much last night because he just would not move~ petrified when I put Antibiotic Ointment  on his toe and wrapped it in a sock.  He was mortified. 

He is eating, drinking, but a bit more ..I'd call him a tad depressed.

UPDATE

We've sat with him all week and he stopped licking the toe and most days it was not ' blood red' but just not right. No worse, no better.  One person was with him at all times, just to get this healed.   It really looked like it was slowly healing.   

You've got to know Spud, even well, HE HATES HIS FEET TOUCHED. 

He ran when he was outside and today he even jumped  off the back of the couch instead of going around. 

I felt pretty stupid making a vet appointment for this afternoon after seeing him act his normal playful self.

Still, we thought we saw more swelling and did we see oozing today? And we were right.

The vet said, and that was one of my guesses, he slammed his toe into something.  Now, the nail bed is infected.  Is there something in there?  We don't know yet.  Most likely, he will loose the entire nail. No big deal. One less for me to try and cut for awhile, I suppose.

He received a shot of Prednisone, and a  6-pack of antibiotics to last until Tuesday's follow-up appointment.  We are to soak it in Laundry detergent 3Xs per day, and clean with alcohol.

After the shaving ( I think he was  nicked) it is red again and you can clearly see a pus pocket or a swollen bump to the side.

Thanks for just being out there  :)

Whew, those are some nasty lookin' feet 

There is some ozzy stuff coming out of this side but I can't capture in pics.  You get the idea though

UPDATE THREE: Final update

The vet was very pleased with Spud's quick progress and our care given at home.  He saw two vets; the first examined, then he called in the vet who had done the work the week before.  Both very happy.

The toe split open many times during the week and drained and now is on to healing.  No swelling, no pain, no follow-up visits.  We are to continue the soaks for 10 days and complete this course of antibiotics.

We really were blaming ourselves as the nail had gotten a bit too long. He said, they were not too bad at all, that this was a splinter issue and he probably stubbed it too.

So here is our plan- each month, along with Heartworm med, he will get a tiny snip to keep them trimmed and the quick drawn back a bit.  An easy schedule to follow and make sure things are on time. 

He also mentioned, he sees some too short, and that will also cause problems.

So everything in moderation.

I want to thank you all for checking up with us ~ good grief, Ann and Mr. Haley wrote me even though her poor boy had an upper GI that day.  My dog certainly lives a much better life because of our DK Community.  My apologies for not answering you all personally, as I have had some other family illnesses to work through this week, but I saw what you wrote and knew you were there!    THANK YOU ALL

One important note to mention here...Osteomyelitis in Dogs

A Dog's claw and the anatomy are not the same as a human. The quick and claw are, in a way, an extension of bone.  In a dog, a claw infection can become a bone infection very quickly.  So, if you see your dog with a red toe, don't wait this one out like I did.  It won't heal with just topical antibiotics. See a vet and get treatment

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Thank you, Andrea

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is a good point. There could be something in there, a splinter, a thorn, a seed pod, something of that nature. That might explain why the inflammation is so localized.

[Sheila & Finnley]

Ouch, poor Spud ! Could he have caught it on something ? Like if he was looking through a chain link fence and his foot got caught, and pulled out from under it ? That's all I've got....

I hope it heals and he feels better soon.

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

Hm, I have no idea. I don't think his toenail is crooked, though. Perhaps he bumped the toe and then start licking it. And it got worse. Don't know. I just hope he gets better soon.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Awwww...no advice, but hope he feels better.

[Colleen, Jake & Baxter]

I hope Spud feels better soon and that you are able to find out what it is.  It can be such a puzzle sometimes when something like this comes up!

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

Poor Spud!  Could he have jammed his toe on the baseboard or injured it outside and he is licking it becasue it is sore and that is what dogs so when they have an injury....and that is causing it to be moist looking? 

Just a thought!

[Melissa T]

Do you live in an area with foxtails? Our Dante had a foxtail in his toe. I came home from work and his toe was huge, swollen and blood red. Took him to the vet and they did emergency surgery to remove the foxtail. The body doesn't break foxtails down, so they continue to travel through the body. The earlier they are extracted, the better. Vet told us that if he hadn't been able to find the foxtail, he would have had to try again further up the leg a month later.

Good luck to you and Spud. Hope it's just allergies.

[Bonnie and Kona]

I was wondering about foxtails too. I don't know if you have them but we have had dogs get a foxtail up into the toe and then it turns into a big ugly infection and the dogs licks it like crazy. The vet has to get the foxtail out before it can heal. 

Hoping Spud heals quickly and you can rest. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I might be wrong, but I don't think they have foxtails east of the Mississippi. 

[Bonnie and Kona]

That's what I was wondering. I've only encountered them in CA. Any wheat-like seed would do the same thing though, I think. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

No Foxtails here. We don't even have weeds right now in very cold Ohio :(
I'm so confused. Trying to just watch as he seems healthy but uncomfortable sometimes.