Funny Toe

[Ideation 8,216]

My whippet seems to have a bit of a problem with his toe, and i can't work it out.

 

I noticed it the day after boxing day, he was holding his front right leg up a little bit. It soon went away, but on inspection i noticed that there appeared to be a lump, on the top of his outside toe, around where the 'knuckle' would be (if compared to a human hand i guess). Altough i have said it is on top of the outside toe, it is almost more 'inbetween' the two toes. Initially the outside toe was also swollen.

 

I think it may have happened when i stood on his foot out ferreting, but i'm not sure.

 

Although it did seem to be bothering him at first, within a day or so he seemed to be running around fairly normal, to the point where he ran down a couple of day time rabbits and a few on the lamp.

 

Slowely the lump started shrinking and i assumed it was just a bruise.

 

However, when watching him today, there was something about his running style which just wasnt quite right, and upon closer inspection the lump is bigger again.

 

The lump isn't particularly tender to touch and when i squeeze his foot and wiggle his toes about it doesnt seem to really bother him.

 

Does anyone have any ideas?

[my hounds 313]

A photo/s may help.

[skycat 6,174]

What's probably happened is that the joint has almost dislocated, not quite: what is called a sub-luxation. This damages the ligaments which hold the toe in the correct position: toes aren't meant to move sideways, but if the claw hits a rock or lump of something it can force the joint into a sideways movement which damages the ligaments. The lump is due to inflammation as well as tissue damage. The problem is now that it is trying to heal, maybe still slightly in the wrong position. It will heal eventually, but will always leave a lump of scar tissue round the joint: this is nature's way of trying to protect the joint.

 

You have to stop running the dog until there is no heat at all in the lump and it has reduced in size as much as it is going to. Once it has scarred up it shouldn't hurt the dog any more, but there will be reduced mobility in the joint from here on. I've also pmed you.

[sandymere 8,263]

Could well be generalised joint inflammation as described above, known as a knocked up toe in colloquial terms, or if just one side of a toe rather than the whole joint it could perhaps be a bursitis or infection.

As above top, photos would help people make better assessment which if any.