Covid and dogs with grass seeds in their paws

 Recently I succumbed to the Covid wave here in Australia, and spent a couple of weeks in bed. When I started to feel better (and was not required to quarantine), I took Peppa for a walk in a local park. It's winter here, of course, and the grass in the park was mowed and short, but I think that was the day Peppa got a seed in her paw. 

At one stage, after playing vigorously with lots of friendly pups, she lay down and didn't want to walk. I thought she must be exhausted. In retrospect, I ask myself why a healthy young pup would be exhausted by some play. Now, with 20/20 hindsight, I think she might have had a grass seed stuck in her paw. 

I'm resolved to check her paws after every outing to a grassy area.

So, she began to limp. We went to the clinic and the vet on duty checked her and thought perhaps she had broken a toe. An x-ray ensued, and it was sent off to an expert for another opinion. While we waited, we came home with a cone on her head and pain relief medication - Metacam. 

She sat around staring morosely into space, and the pain relief injection she'd been given at the vet seemed to have spaced her out so completely that she couldn't even keep her legs under her and kept swaying and sinking to the floor. Such a stressful day.

I took the cone off, because she wasn't paying any attention to her foot. And I didn't give the Metacam because I thought she wasn't in pain. (I've since been told it was an anti-inflammatory also, so I guess I should have given it.)

Back to the vet clinic a few days later, for an examination by our usual vet. He couldn't see any sign of what the problem was, but suggested an operation to open the swellings (two on top of her toes and one between her pads). It was organised for two days later.

What a relief it was when the operating vet called to say that after a long search she had found a grass seed buried in the flesh of the paw. 

So, home again with pain medication and antibiotics and instructions to keep the bandaged foot dry. Hmm...that meant no walking in our jungle of a back garden, which at this time of year is damp with dew for most of the day.

All was going well until last night when I noticed Peppa had removed the bandage and dressing. So, off at midnight to the Animal Emergency Clinic to get it rebandaged.

But what a surprise awaited us there! It was fortunately a quiet night there, so the usual offering of stressed and suffering animals wasn't as bad as it can be. And who was there?

The first Lhasa apso we have ever met! So exciting. He's a Golden, and looks a lot like Peppa, so we were very pleased to have it confirmed that she is also a Golden (which is what she was sold to us as). And the owner knew the breeder we had got Peppa from and said she's a good breeder, which made us feel even better. 

So a good ending to a stressful evening. Peppa has a nice new bandage on and we'll continue to keep it clean and dry (here's hoping) until we go tomorrow to have it checked. The vet nurse at AEC says it's healing well.

The other owner has also had a grass seed removed from his dog, so we're warned to be ever-alert after walks. He said it's because of their thick fur that they tend to pick up grass seeds.

Forewarned is forearmed.

out walking at last

Yippee! Today Penny went for a proper walk, after a week of  resting at home with her cut paw. Because the cut was right on the ball of her foot, we just couldn't go anywhere. But today after a careful consideration of her paw, the family agreed that it looked as if the cut has closed.

Last night, for the first time, I had treated it by slathering it with the gel from an aloe vera leaf. I hadn't done that previously because I read that it's not a good idea to put a layer covering a wound until you are quite sure there's no infection. It wouldn't be a good idea to close in the infection. So it's been a week of loose bandaging, Betadine spray and saline washes.

Today I put a layer of aloe vera gel on it, covered it with a Pawz boot, and off we went, down a local lane.

This week has made me more aware that we need to update our doggie emergency kit (and the human one, of course). There's a good list at this vet clinic's site:

First Aid Kit                          

The following items should be
available if you need them for
treating problems at home
with your pets(s):
• Gauze swabs,
• Cotton bandages
• Elastoplast bandages
• Betadine or Savlon antiseptic cream
• Aspirin – for pain relief. Dose rate is 10-20mg/kg
Cats (and v. small dogs): quarter of a 300mg tablet.
Dogs – small: 1/2 tab, medium: 1 tab, large : 2 tabs
Give ONLY A SINGLE DOSE and consult your vet if
pain persists. DO NOT use paracetamol (Panadol),
ibuprofen, naproxen or any other human pain-reliever
• Ipecac Syrup, Washing Soda or Hydrogen Peroxide
Dose rates to induce vomiting:
• Ipecac Syrup – 2-6mls
• Washing Soda – 1-2 granules
DO NOT use washing powder
• Hydrogen Peroxide (3% only) – 5-10mls
• Activated charcoal tablets (to help absorb poisons)
Dose is 1gm/kg and it works faster if crushed (but
you'll never get this much into your pet, so just give
as much as they'll take, however they'll take it.)

They have a good page on Common Emergencies, too. I think I'll print it out.