Should I take her to the vet?

[Chinchilla_Girl]

Okay, about 10 minutes ago the dogs were begging to go outside. I let them out and was watching them since they like to run along the fence line and bark at the Jack Russell behind us. The high pitch barks are annoying enough to me, so I don't like for any of my neighbors to have to listen to it either. Well, Orion went off to do his business and Kali ran for the fence to go bark at her buddy...she stopped short lifting on paw and started sniffing the ground. That is not like her, if the Jack is out, they are barking along the fence line. So I called her back and she was limping...wouldn't put her foot down at all. So I go to look at it and she is bleeding profusely from between her pads! I brought her in and started washing her paw and cleaned it out with hydrogen peroxide. Getting a better look now that it's clean, it looks to be a very deep puncture wound under her toe between the pads. The bleeding is slowed but hasn't stopped and it's been about 20 minutes now. I don't want to just rush off to the vet if I can help it...she's walking a little better, but I'm worried about infection since it is between her toes and wonder if I should wrap it up to help keep dirt out while it heals. I assume the vet would flush it and clean it as I have done, but probably wouldn't put her on antibiotics unless she shows signs of infection. Meanwhile, she has the cleanest foot of any dog on earth at the moment Any suggestions from you vet techs out there? She seems to be okay, but the wound is deep.

[Chinchilla_Girl]

Also, I couldn't find what she hurt herself on...unless it was a stick or something

[Deja]

Aww!! Poor baby!!
The only thing I can suggest is to keep an eye out for swelling. If you see the paw or leg swell and the wound start to ooze fluid - get her to the nearest emergency vet. I had that happen to one of my cats when we lived in NC and it turned out she had been bit by a Copperhead

I don't know if you have snakes in your area.

The way you describe what you saw it certainly sounds like she stepped on something, or was bit by something. I know dogs can be stoic, not showing their pain because it's inate behavior for them not to appear weakened in any way.

I'd probably go to the vet just to make sure there is nothing in the wound and to make sure it doesn't need a suture or two to close and heal properly.


It sounds like you did the right thing as far as wound care. I'm sure someone with much more experience in animal health care will be along soon to give you better advice.

I hope everything turns out ok!

[Chinchilla_Girl]

Now ya got me worried with the copperhead thing...we live in NC! There is nothing around the rest of her foot to indicate a bite though...Hmm...so far it seems to be doing okay. I'll definetly keep and eye on it and if she looks like it's getting worse over the next few hours, I'll take her right in. I called the emergency vet and they said the same thing you did and told me to do what I already did. I'll keep you all updated and thanks Deja!

[Deja]

I'm glad she seems ok It's so hard to see them hurt. She's in good hands with you. I'll keep you guys in my thoughts - keep us posted!

[Jade]

Copperheads aren't usually anything to worry about when it comes to your pets. Dogs and cats have a lot of sub cutaneous space that acts like a sponge and absorbs the toxin, so it isn't usually a systemic reaction. We usually recommend seeing the pet just because it's very painful and can slough due to the toxin. We'll normally give them pain meds, anti-biotics, and send them home.

If you have a syringe, fill it with soapy water and literally flush the wound out several times. Wrap it up for tonight (make sure it isn't too tight) and as long as it isn't bleeding, she shouldn't have to go in this evening. I would take her in tomorrow though and probably start her on some anti-biotics since it IS a foot wound. Those are the toughest to keep clean and quickest to get infected because they can get to them.

Give her some love for me, Mandie. Poor thing!

[Chinchilla_Girl]

Thanks Steph...I did flush it earlier and will flush it again every hour or so. The bleeding has subsided unless I spread her pads out to look at it again, but it's more like a seeping watery type of blood and only when I mess with it. She's now walking on it a lot better too. I put a clean white sock on it and wrapped it up with some ace bandage...she's leaving it alone. We'll go see the vet in the morning regardless, just to be on the safe side.

[Chrisanne]

Deja and Steph have covered the advice, so all I can say is... I send my hugs to you both

[Chinchilla_Girl]

Well, she's walking funny again...but I think that has to do with the bandage. She's walking like she has to stick her foot WAY out to the side in order to go anywhere! LOL! Then she just sulks because I make her lay back down.

[Jade]

You can give her a benadryl, that might make her sleepy enough to relax this evening. As long as she's not on any meds or has a heart condition, the dose is 1 mg of Benadryl per 1 pound of Kali.

[Chinchilla_Girl]

Great! Thanks Steph. She's curled up on the couch sulking right now...but if she gets too fiesty, a little benedryl will help...either that or if I curl up next to her with a good book, she always falls alseep

[lixx]

When Dante cut his 'ankle' the only reason he was vetted was to stitch the wound close because every time he bent his paw it would open and re-bleed. If her toe causes the cut to open and close with her movement, I would suggest getting it sowen and wrapped. If the wrapping is good though, you could pry get away with just that. Hope she heals quickly!

[Jodi]

I hope her foot heals soon! I'm in NC too and always worried about running across a copperhead - glad to read what Stephanie said though - makes me feel better.

Give her nose kisses from me!

[Chinchilla_Girl]

Quote: Originally Posted by JGawana I hope her foot heals soon! I'm in NC too and always worried about running across a copperhead - glad to read what Stephanie said though - makes me feel better. Give her nose kisses from me!

I hadn't heard of copperheads getting dogs until the vet said something about it as well as Deja. I do know of a Pit who was attacked by a water moccosin (sp?) though. For him, it was touch and go for a long time and it took almost a full year for Gotti to gain back the weight and muscular build he lost when it happened. He was one of our rescue/foster dogs we had with us for a while. That was about 2 years ago. Gotti is happy and healthy now and was such a sweetheart! I sometimes wish we could have kept him!

[Deja]

When my cat was bit by a Copperhead she almost died. She was at the vet overnight for treatment after we'd rushed her in when we saw her paw ... I was hand feeding her for about 3 or 4 days after she came home. She literally didn't move from the foot of my bed...

Anyway... that's another story, for the cat section

I'm glad that it isn't something to stress about.
Hope she heals up really fast!