Puppy Broken Toe
Posted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 11:31 am
Hello, new to the forum but have already found boat loads of info and advice, I hope to one day be a useful contributor but for now I sit and listen.
I have a 12 week old Boykin with a broken toe its his fourth toe on the right front paw (the one next to the pinky toe) so it's a load bearing toe. It was a very unfortunate accident in which he got caught in a swinging screen door about 3 weeks ago. He has since been in a hard "spoon splint" and have been changing the wrap every 5 days. It doesn't bother him too much just walks funny and is constantly getting tripped up when running in grass, kind of cute actually but sad.
I am relatively new to Houston and the vet I took him to was recommended to me by a non hunting friend (my first error). I get the feeling this clinic rarely sees any working dogs much less Boykins. The Vet lady in particular is very much a progressive type and from the minute I brought in an "expensive pure breed" (her words) I got an uneasy feeling of resentment. I then went on to tell her that he will be a working retriever/bird dog and the amount of attitude significantly increased. Anyways I was in a pickle, I had to be at work and this pup needed an X-ray and splint so I went with it and had it done. Now I'm kind of tied into this vet until the toe has been resolved, or so I thought.
She initially told me he would need the splint on for a minimum of 3 possibly 4 weeks and that we could take another x-ray at 3 to see what it looks like. Just this past Monday when I was having the bandage changed, I iniststed that they do it in the room with me, she tested the sensitivity of the toe and it didn't seem to bother him. At the end of the visit she said at 4 weeks we can take another x-ray and between 4-5 weeks he will be out of the splint. They then tried to charge me double of what I had been paying previously, we exchanged some words, I expressed that I don't trust her and she said if the toe does not heel correctly and re-breaks the next step would be amputation. I used some colorful language in front of the other patients that I am not particularly proud of but glad I said. So now I am looking for a new vet and second opinions. I sent the x-ray back to my folks family friend and vet but he's on vacation and has yet to respond.
My boy Watson has been gaining about 2 ouces per day, give or take a few, over the past three weeks which would lead me to think that his bone structure which was already thick is constantly regenerating and growing. Would it be irresponsible to for me to wait 3.5 weeks and take the splint off without another X-ray? I'm in my mid 20's and these extra vet fees are starting to cut into other areas. I would like to avoid the extra x-ray if possible but would get it no question if I thought it was necessary. Broken toes are not a huge deal, correct?
Attached are 2 pictures, one the day of the first splint, the other most recently on Tuesday. Also the X-ray.
Does anyone know of a GOOD vet in Houston with hunting dog experience?
Thanks
I have a 12 week old Boykin with a broken toe its his fourth toe on the right front paw (the one next to the pinky toe) so it's a load bearing toe. It was a very unfortunate accident in which he got caught in a swinging screen door about 3 weeks ago. He has since been in a hard "spoon splint" and have been changing the wrap every 5 days. It doesn't bother him too much just walks funny and is constantly getting tripped up when running in grass, kind of cute actually but sad.
I am relatively new to Houston and the vet I took him to was recommended to me by a non hunting friend (my first error). I get the feeling this clinic rarely sees any working dogs much less Boykins. The Vet lady in particular is very much a progressive type and from the minute I brought in an "expensive pure breed" (her words) I got an uneasy feeling of resentment. I then went on to tell her that he will be a working retriever/bird dog and the amount of attitude significantly increased. Anyways I was in a pickle, I had to be at work and this pup needed an X-ray and splint so I went with it and had it done. Now I'm kind of tied into this vet until the toe has been resolved, or so I thought.
She initially told me he would need the splint on for a minimum of 3 possibly 4 weeks and that we could take another x-ray at 3 to see what it looks like. Just this past Monday when I was having the bandage changed, I iniststed that they do it in the room with me, she tested the sensitivity of the toe and it didn't seem to bother him. At the end of the visit she said at 4 weeks we can take another x-ray and between 4-5 weeks he will be out of the splint. They then tried to charge me double of what I had been paying previously, we exchanged some words, I expressed that I don't trust her and she said if the toe does not heel correctly and re-breaks the next step would be amputation. I used some colorful language in front of the other patients that I am not particularly proud of but glad I said. So now I am looking for a new vet and second opinions. I sent the x-ray back to my folks family friend and vet but he's on vacation and has yet to respond.
My boy Watson has been gaining about 2 ouces per day, give or take a few, over the past three weeks which would lead me to think that his bone structure which was already thick is constantly regenerating and growing. Would it be irresponsible to for me to wait 3.5 weeks and take the splint off without another X-ray? I'm in my mid 20's and these extra vet fees are starting to cut into other areas. I would like to avoid the extra x-ray if possible but would get it no question if I thought it was necessary. Broken toes are not a huge deal, correct?
Attached are 2 pictures, one the day of the first splint, the other most recently on Tuesday. Also the X-ray.
Does anyone know of a GOOD vet in Houston with hunting dog experience?
Thanks