Toe cut!

[jelly8bean]

What does she find to do these things to herself. :confused: My Indigo apparently found a way to cut her toe really badly last night. She was out on the deck and I looked and there was bloody prints everywhere. I looked at the cut and it was bleeding, but didn't seem too bad so I cleaned it, medicated and wrapped it. This morning she was not even touching the floor with it so we had to go to the vet. She has a cut, that was really deep and took two levels of sutures to close. How does she do this stuff!!! (and How can I make it stop!). So cone head for two weeks and no playing/running. She is so pitiful.:(

[OliveOil]

Bless her little heart! Olive seems to get into scrapes too. Mostly near-misses but she seems to have a propensity for trouble.

[Sue J]

Sorry to hear that. Poor Indigo. Have you found out what she cut it on yet?

[Dobs4ever]

I can tell you from experience that it seems they can be in a padded cell and find a way to hurt themselves. I know when we stood 5 stallions that we showed they all stayed in very nice stalls with individual runs and could still find a way to hurt themselves.

I was paranoid about our stallions having a scratch. We were fortunate none of them ever hurt themselves but the mares were a different story.

Hope she is better soon.

[tnsteelerfan]

thats awful!!! i wonder on what
how the heck do you keep her from being active??? best wishes...

[jelly8bean]

Yes.. she is already feeling alot better and has figured out how to use the cone head to take out everything in her way. She is also wanting to start playing with Sara (who really doesn't like cone heads!) so I'm having to just keep her on a leash. Leash when we go outside, leash when she and Sara are together etc. It's going to be a long two weeks.

The wound was clean and we can't figure out how she did it.. I have gone over the backyard carefully and I think she did it somehow on the deck since I see most of the blood marks there. But there are no nails or anything I can see that might have done it... and no trace of where it started.

[Sue J]

Gosh, don't ya just hate mysteries like that!! Glad Indigo is doing okay though.

[jelly8bean]

What a weekend.. Indigo has figured out a way to get to her toes regardless of the cone! She is definitely picking at the stitches and I don't know what else to do. I have tried to keep a wrap on it, but that gets picked off, I tried a sock, but that comes off even easier than the wrap. Why can't she just let it heal! Rats!!!

[Dobs4ever]

Jelly - Sorry you are having all the normal challenges with Dobermans and bandages. First when you wrap it and then put a sock over it you have to take Duck tape and tape on the sock. Don't tape too tight but it does name it much harder for them to get it off. If you can keep it wraped for a few days even it will help the internal healing. You just have to be careful that she does not eat the wrapping stuff.

It might also help to put some wound dust on it to help relieve the itching before wrapping. I don't do stitches anymore. I use surgical glue. I have wasted too much money on stitches to have them chew them out on day 6 to 7. I have have very good luck. My vet says he needs me to come take care of some of his patients as their families just don't understand how to when they are injured.

When Gunner had his shoulder surgery I kept him in my bedroom with Animal Planet on low for him. Feet are hard because I don't there that there is really anything you can do to keep them for reaching feet but I will recommend this ----

I have one of those foam neck pillows with a wire in it so you can shape it. I then wrap in in towels to what ever thickness I think will keep them from reaching area and duck tape the towels so they don't come loose. Then I put the neck brace around the neck and duck tape on the outside of the brace 2 times around to hold it onto the neck.

That is what I did for Gunner with his stitches but it is harder for them to reach the shoulder anyway. I have had the most luck with this kind of neck deterent.

Hope this helps.

[jelly8bean]

Thanks Dobs.. I have a neck collar, and have thought about combining it, because by itself it would never stop her from her toes. I am trying to keep some wrap on it because I figure anything between her and the stitches.. but since she has learned to jam that cone on the floor and push her foot up she can bend it enough to get there. Too smart for her own good! We have done at least 4 days with the stitches covered so I'm hopeful about her healing.

[Dobs4ever]

That is great - If you can make it 6 more you should be in good shape. Almost half way there!!!

[Big Dogs]

Jelly we have used an Italian muzzle in the past when they have started to obsess over stitches with the combination of the collar it has a loose fit but gives then allot more comfort to drink and move. Good luck they are masters at taking bandages off and it doesn't take them long to do it as you already know.