Ever since Franklin broke his toe 2 1/2 weeks ago I have been really paranoid about splint issues. My worst fear was that the splint would be put on too tight and cut off circulation to his foot. I've heard of dogs losing a foot/leg because of a split too tight. Well yesterday I noticed Franklin wasn't wanting to walk on his foot anymore and he was acting like it was bothering him. We just had this splint put on Friday afternoon and it was supposed to be on for 2 weeks. Well I decided today that its better safe than sorry so I took him to the vet to have the splint taken off and redone. Well they took off the splint and found a swollen foot with necrotic (dead) foot pads that smelled HORRIBLE. The splint was put on way too tight and was cutting off circulation, just like I had feared. Parts of his foot pads are dead and won't come back, but hopefully since the blood circulation has returned some of it will come back again. All of his toes are swollen to twice the normal size and very red/pink. He is incredibly painful and also has open pressure sores. The vet (a different vet than I had been going to before) said that these wounds are so much worse than the broken toe! He is worried about his foot but hopes with the splint off it will heal. He is on strict cage rest now because he has a broken toe that is now unprotected and his foot pads are dead and very painful. We are going to re-xray next week to see how well the break has healed and if we need to re-splint, although I will likely see if there is something else I can do. What is really scary is thinking about what would have happened if I wasn't so paranoid and if I hadn't worked at a vet. If I would have waited the full 14 days for the splint to come off, Franklin would have lost his leg. The damage was so severe already after only 5 days, that by the time 14 days had passed his whole foot would have been dead and they would have had to amputate. I'm sooooooooooo glad I am so in tune with my little guy. I plan on bringing him into the original vet tomorrow just to show them the damage that was done. I just want them to be aware and maybe more careful in the future. The picture attached is of his foot. It already looks better after having the splint off for most of the day.
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well its been a few hours since he ran and played and still no limping so I will probably take him swimming again tomorrow. I'm starting the walk with his foot wrapped in vet wrap and having him do his initial FRAP session with the vet wrap on. Then I take it off and he is usually a little calmer by then. He is soooooo happy! Its great to see his happy smiling face again. Its been almost 5 weeks!!
The exercise should do him good. Maddie is the calmer of my two Corgis, but when she was spayed (at the age of 4.5), after about a week of limited activity/ light leash walking she was ready to pop her buttons. We'd take them out to walk and she'd be tug-tug-tugging at the end of her leash with a manic gleam in her eye and her tongue all over the place. Maddie is a VERY polite leash-walker and that is so not like her.
And that is, as I say, the calmer of my two.
I am glad Franklin is so much better now. Please just keep a very close eye on that little guy, and infection. It can happen so easily. It's just a big dirty world. lol
He looks wonderful! I bet you are so... relieved.
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