Torn Flexor Tendon - Foot

[Keira&Phoenix]

Took Miss Phoenix to the vet last night because she has been favouring her left foot and sometimes limping on it for the past week or so. I checked it out myself when she first started favouring it and could see that one of her toes on her left foot was clearly pretty swollen and tender to the touch (some days it is obviously more sore than others..)

Originally about 3 weeks ago I caught that foot with the back door, as I went to open it to let her out she stretched and I got her foot, she was limping for about 2 days but then was fine, I figured it was just bruised. But then 2 weeks later she started limping again.

So we saw the vet and he checked it out and said the way she is walking on her foot (she isn't walking on the pads like normal she is walking on the back part of her foot) and from the way the toe is sitting and is swollen that it is more than likely a torn flexor tendon. He said that for a person surgery would be performed but that because she is a young, very active dog it isn't really a good option. He was concerned though that the injury might cause problems down the track. He also said that because of how she is walking it might cause a dermatitis on her foot, as she isn't using the pads but is walking on the skin. Basically said to keep an eye on it, if it swells anymore or she starts to get dermatitis to bring her back.

So has anyone had a dog do this? If you have what did you do...wait it out or surgery? If you just opted to rest it and wait did it heal well or did you have ongoing dramas? Any information and advice would be handy.

She is a very active dog and I don't want her to be forever hindered by a sore foot, I am also afraid that if it is torn and she pushes to hard she may sever it completely....

[Jumabaar]

Perhaps you could see a specialist? or a canine physiotherapist?

My girl tore a ligament in her toe, I can't remember which as it was so long ago. It was 6 weeks of STRICT rest. She did not run at all- she stayed in the house and only went outside to toilet. Had she been excitable in the house I probably would have crated her. She has not had any problems, however I doubt it was as bad as your girl. I saw a k9 chiro who is used to greyhounds so he was confident in his diagnosis. I then was also very careful putting her back on it and she was very restricted for a further 6 weeks.

I imagine the post surgery recovery would be drawn out as well.

Is she on anything to reduce swelling to allow better healing?

[WreckitWhippet]

Our Greyhounds do crap like this to themselves all the time.

The first thing she needs is rest, that means no running around, jumping and carrying on. She can go for walks on lead. I'd also be looking for a Greyhound muscle man and a Greyhound vet close to you. It's more then likely not just a tendon tear and there's possibly a weakness or area that is out of alignment further up. We tend to find that the injury site was the weakest point that eventually gives in but there's nearly always something else going on.

My Borzoi tore am elastic ligament and had a partial tear of the tendon. We went with 6 weeks of on lead only and used the Greyhound laser on him. He's fine now and hasn't limped again since the initial injury and treatment.

[Keira&Phoenix]

First thanks for your replies!

Perhaps you could see a specialist? or a canine physiotherapist?

My girl tore a ligament in her toe, I can't remember which as it was so long ago. It was 6 weeks of STRICT rest. She did not run at all- she stayed in the house and only went outside to toilet. Had she been excitable in the house I probably would have crated her. She has not had any problems, however I doubt it was as bad as your girl. I saw a k9 chiro who is used to greyhounds so he was confident in his diagnosis. I then was also very careful putting her back on it and she was very restricted for a further 6 weeks.

I imagine the post surgery recovery would be drawn out as well.

Is she on anything to reduce swelling to allow better healing?

Ackkk, this is the worst time for this. I am about to move back to my parents (joy for me) and my Mum isn't really a dogs in the house person so it is likely she will have to be crated and just get walks when I am home, and just let out on leash to toilet. She is going to go nuts.

Not on anything at this stage.

Our Greyhounds do crap like this to themselves all the time.

The first thing she needs is rest, that means no running around, jumping and carrying on. She can go for walks on lead. I'd also be looking for a Greyhound muscle man and a Greyhound vet close to you. It's more then likely not just a tendon tear and there's possibly a weakness or area that is out of alignment further up. We tend to find that the injury site was the weakest point that eventually gives in but there's nearly always something else going on.

My Borzoi tore am elastic ligament and had a partial tear of the tendon. We went with 6 weeks of on lead only and used the Greyhound laser on him. He's fine now and hasn't limped again since the initial injury and treatment.

Ok, well I am lucky enough that I live close to two of the best Vet Chiro's in QLD. SO I will try to get her in to see one of them asap. If there is something out of alignment that has contributed to this then they will find it and fix it.

What is a greyhound laser?

Looks like lots of rest for the munchkin and a cancelled Agility course Pretty upset about that I was really looking forward to doing it with her and had to put it back once already. Miss doing training courses with her, she is such a hard worker.

[Tassie]

I was thinking along the lines of checking with a 'greyhound man' too. Miss Kirra did something to a toe on a back foot, and had 6 weeks of very limited activity and then a gradual re-introduction to agility, limiting the quick turns for a few more weeks. The vet taped (single width of narrow tape) just above the problem, so the toe could still move but in a more limited range of motion.

My previous BC boy did some sort of soft tissue injury to a front foot - that one (different vet) was bandaged for a couple of weeks - again restricted activity for 4-6 weeks. That vet said "the good news is there's no fracture - the bad news is there's no fracture .. soft tissue injuries can take longer to heal."

Best wishes with Phoenix - could be a long few weeks.

[WreckitWhippet]

The laser is just a cold therapy laser, most Greyhound folk own them, they are great for helping dogs recover.