Gavin Broke His Toe

[BG and Gavin]

UPDATE 05/01

Well three weeks and two broken splints later. The vet decided not to splint again. The bone is not mending and despite our fastidious care, moisture managed to make it’s way in. The moisture was causing issues between the pads (no open sores, just yeasty). He is not in pain and seems to be walking okay (mostly). They shaved between his toes and we are keeping things dry. A couple of other scabby spots on the leg make him want to lick, but we are watching that too. We have been supporting the foot with a sock and a boot for walks, which are few due to the frigid temps this week. Roll the ball, the shell game and long conversations are part of the daily routine as well as brushing and massages. The vet said amputation will be his last option. He is hopeful that Gavin will just manage with it. 

Not sure how he did it, perhaps playing in the snow or he knocked it on the step coming into the house, but Gavin broke his toe. It is the outermost toe on the back leg and not a weight bearing toe; which is good. He is also handling his splint like a true champ and in typical fashion has been very stoic despite what I have read about the pain this type of injury causes. In fact he did not even flinch during the entire vet exam. The vet says it is a displaced fracture (clearly visible in the x-ray). Fingers crossed that it mends okay or else it will have to be removed. The vet says that would not be a big deal (although I would like to avoid that!). He is on a low dose of NSAID and an antibiotic. 

Any feedback on recovery for this type of injury would be appreciated. He is walking great with the splint. We keep him on leash to potty, but he needs a fair bit or walking in order to produce (if you catch my drift). Our current strategy is spouse 1 walks him til her produces and then calls spouse 2 for a ride back. However Gavin is dying to break free and run. I will ask more questions next week when the splint is re-checked but I think it has to be on about six weeks, which will be extremely tough for such an active dog who runs like crazy and walks at least an hour per day.

Check out his ginger bread man splint cover.

[Ginny Nightingale]

That is a huge splint! People don't even get one! I have no experience with this, but hope he heals quickly!!

[BG and Gavin]

I know, it is big! I am honestly quite relieved that it was not a hip problem or ligament issue etc. If left untreated though it may have effected hips etc because he was changing his gait and walking on the inner paw. It was very awkward.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Hoping that this fracture can heal on it's own. I went through this with Luca's tail but we found out after weeks that he had several fractures which were far more displaced than this. Also splinting a tail is pretty impossible. Eventually the damaged part of his tail was removed because the trauma of surgery was too much to contemplate. 

[BG and Gavin]

Oh yes F, I remember the struggles with Luca’s tail. I can’t imagine how you would keep a tail “quiet”.  Thank goodness Luca looks ever bit as handsome after the procedure. I told Gavin that if they take his toe we are going to have to grow out his paw bangs and do a comb over lol.

[Stacy]

Poor Gavin! I do have an experience with broken toes. My little Olivia the papillon broke 3 toes when she fell out of bed in the middle of the night when she was 14 years old. They splinted her, I want to say it ended up being 6 weeks and she healed just fine. And if she could heal that at 14, I bet Gavin will do great. I know you don't have the option of putting him in a forward facing chest carrier or tucking him under your arm the way I did with Olivia, but that splint looks like it will protect him.

That little girl was a first class klutz, with some brittle bones. She broke her first leg at 2 when she tried to jump off the couch. She had to have surgery that time. The second time was when she and my foster dog tried to walk out the back door at the same time and she got stepped on. The third time was the toes when she fell out of bed. She always took it better than I did. 

Wishing Gavin a pain-free and uneventful recovery. 

[BG and Gavin]

Oh Stacy, she was an accident prone pup. You may have put one of the vet’s children through school with all of those trips to their office lol. I wish I could carry him, it would cut down on his activity, but at 76 lbs....

it is encouraging to hear that your elder dog healed well from three broken toes.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Oh no....poor Gavin. Hope he feels better soon, but meanwhile, he is rocking that sock :)

[BG and Gavin]

Thanks Laurie. It reminds me a bit of Vern’ tattoo sleeve lol.

[Judy, Meg & Polly Wolly Doodle]

Poor guy, at least he has great fashion sense.  Hope he heals quickly.

[BG and Gavin]

You may as well look good!

[DonMarie and Picco]

Aw Gavin, sorry bud!  Nice sock cover!  They'll hear you coming now - pat pat clunk pat, pat pat clunk pat

[BG and Gavin]

DonMarie that is exactly what he sounds like. We have been calling him Peg.