Beau, a boarder collie, fell out of the back of my truck 2 months ago
when the metal clasp on his tether broke. He received a concussion, and
a hyper-extended right front paw. He has recovered from the concussion
but he still won't put weight on his paw. The vet said this may be
permanent. Any suggestions for his recovery or adaptation?
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/2/maude
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/m...515308172.html

"Billy" wrote in message
...
Beau, a boarder collie, fell out of the back of my truck 2 months ago
when the metal clasp on his tether broke. He received a concussion, and
a hyper-extended right front paw. He has recovered from the concussion
but he still won't put weight on his paw. The vet said this may be
permanent. Any suggestions for his recovery or adaptation?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,vet chiropactor or one who practices acupuncture; also
glucosamine, fish oil and Vit E

buglady
take out the dog before replying

[...] still won't put weight on his paw. The vet said this may be
permanent. Any suggestions for his recovery or adaptation?

If it hurts too much for him to put weight on, you could try pain
killers (non-steroidal anti-inflamatories like Deramaxx, think "dog
aspirin"), but that can also backfire, because he can get more active
than the joint will support and end up more achy later. Your vet can
help you decide if that's really an option. I know it helps our
cattledog with his arthritic wrist, but he also has bad days later if
he forgets and overdoes it. But it might also give him enough
confidence to at least try it and remember that he can use it now.

Would there be any stretches or exercises you could work him through?
Sort of like physical therapy to maybe get some range of motion back?
If the issue is nerve damage where he won't use it because "it just
doesn't feel right" I'm not sure what you could do.

As far as adapting, there are a few things that can help, like
stacking up foam insulation and taping or gluing it together to make
steps onto the bed or couch. If he's active enough to manage without
now, he may eventually stress the other paw to (over)compensate. A
ramp or steps in and out of your vehicle can also help. If you do
make steps, remember that not all dogs think about where they put
their back feet, a small platform at each level big enough to stand on
with all their feet at once can make it easier--if you make the steps
too small the dog might navigate their front end up the steps just
fine and then stumble when the back feet get to the steps (we had this
issue more with a previous dog with bad hips).

You might try just watching what he's doing to cope now and
facilitating that best you can to deal with the worst of it.
--Glenn Lyford

On 11/14/2010 1:57 PM, buglady wrote:
wrote in message
...
Beau, a boarder collie, fell out of the back of my truck 2 months ago
when the metal clasp on his tether broke. He received a concussion, and
a hyper-extended right front paw. He has recovered from the concussion
but he still won't put weight on his paw. The vet said this may be
permanent. Any suggestions for his recovery or adaptation?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,vet chiropactor or one who practices acupuncture; also
glucosamine, fish oil and Vit E

buglady
take out the dog before replying

VERY good suggestions!
Char

In article
,
Glenn Lyford wrote:

[...] still won't put weight on his paw. The vet said this may be
permanent. Any suggestions for his recovery or adaptation?

If it hurts too much for him to put weight on, you could try pain
killers
He doesn't seem to be in pain, although he does yelp from time to time,
but I'm not sure why. Initially the vet said that he may try to walk on
the back of his wrist, which would cause ulceration, and the paw would
have to be removed. In the first couple of weeks after his accident, he
tried this, but soon stopped the habit. Now, sometimes when he is
running, he will put his bad paw down, but there isn't much weight or
contact made with the ground. It's more like memory, or habit. I still
have hope that he'll make a partial recovery, but I don't have any
support for that hope.
(non-steroidal anti-inflamatories like Deramaxx, think "dog
aspirin"), but that can also backfire, because he can get more active
than the joint will support and end up more achy later. Your vet can
help you decide if that's really an option. I know it helps our
cattledog with his arthritic wrist, but he also has bad days later if
he forgets and overdoes it. But it might also give him enough
confidence to at least try it and remember that he can use it now.
No, he can't use it now. His right foreleg won't support him.

Would there be any stretches or exercises you could work him through?
Sort of like physical therapy to maybe get some range of motion back?
If the issue is nerve damage where he won't use it because "it just
doesn't feel right" I'm not sure what you could do.

It is nerve damage, and I want to take him to the river, but I was
working O.T., and now I have this mother-of-all-damn-colds. We'll get to
the river soon.

As far as adapting, there are a few things that can help, like
stacking up foam insulation and taping or gluing it together to make
steps onto the bed or couch. If he's active enough to manage without
now, he may eventually stress the other paw to (over)compensate.
I think he could get into the back of the truck with only one hind led.
Remember, that this is a border collie. Energy packed in a dog. Beau
rides up front with me now, and getting in and out is only about 18" -
24".
A
ramp or steps in and out of your vehicle can also help. If you do
make steps, remember that not all dogs think about where they put
their back feet, a small platform at each level big enough to stand on
with all their feet at once can make it easier--if you make the steps
too small the dog might navigate their front end up the steps just
fine and then stumble when the back feet get to the steps (we had this
issue more with a previous dog with bad hips).

I guess the thing I worry about is the torquing of his body, because one
of the legs isn't there, and causing some kind of repetitive injury.

You might try just watching what he's doing to cope now and
facilitating that best you can to deal with the worst of it.

Mainly he is getting pampered, and sleeping on the couch. May have to
put the guy on a diet (
--Glenn Lyford

Thanks for the responses.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/2/maude
http://english.aljazeera.net/video/m...515308172.html

Now, sometimes when he is
running, he will put his bad paw down, but there isn't much weight or
contact made with the ground. It's more like memory, or habit.
[...] he can't use it now. His right foreleg won't support him.

Ok.

I think he could get into the back of the truck with only one hind led.
Remember, that this is a border collie. Energy packed in a dog. Beau
rides up front with me now, and getting in and out is only about 18" -
24".

I have a cattledog, same energy, different package (well, it was when
he was younger, now that he's almost 15 arthritis is slowing him
down).
He always complains loudly unless he gets to ride up front. When we
had a crew cab, he'd even complain about being in the back seat, and
would lie on the center console. He wants to see out the windows,
bark at bikes, and sniff the vents.

I guess the thing I worry about is the torquing of his body, because one
of the legs isn't there, and causing some kind of repetitive injury.

Many dogs seem to get along just fine without the use of a front leg,
I
wouldn't spend a lot of worry on it. He'll build the muscles he needs
to
compensate and change his gait some.

Mainly he is getting pampered, and sleeping on the couch.

Sounds like he's just happy to be a dog, and all is about as good as
it can be. He might not be the same dog he was, but if he can deal
with being the dog he is, you can't really ask for much more than
that.

--Glenn Lyford

"Billy" wrote in message
...
It is nerve damage, and I want to take him to the river, but I was
working O.T., and now I have this mother-of-all-damn-colds. We'll get to
the river soon.

.....They're sure it's nerve damage? AFAIK tendon/ligament damage takes a
long time to heal also. I wouldn't give up yet. Extra B vitamins might
help this too.

I guess the thing I worry about is the torquing of his body, because one
of the legs isn't there, and causing some kind of repetitive injury.

.....Muscles might tighten up in places, vet chiro could help there too. Or
you could do massage - guaranteed dog will like it! After doing it a while,
your fingers can tell when the muscles need work, or just look at the dog's
eyes - when you're on target, they sort of drift back toward the area you're
working.

All the best
buglady
take out the dog before replying