Take the dog to another vet. I can't believe she can't do something with bandages, a vet collar, or a temporary open-style muzzle to keep him from chewing on it.

Here is a link that might be useful: muzzles

Maybe a dumb question, but did they wrap the paw with anything?

I would try another vet. Maybe if you make a few calls you can find someone who knows a way to help it heal. I was watching E-Vet Intern one day and they used a new technique to close a wound on a boxers ankle (they removed a large tumor, there was not much skin left) and it worked really well. The healed wound was not pretty, there was a huge scar with no hair growth, but it did heal properly. I believe it was called a vacuum dressing. I don't know if something like that would work on a paw. But do try calling some vets, or maybe your vet could recommend a surgical specialist who would have more experience with wounds, and better equipment. Even if you have been using the same vet for years, you should not feel bad about taking your dog to another vet for help. If your doctor wanted to operate on you, they would suggest a surgeon or specialist, and probably recommend that you get a second opinion as well.

If you have never seen E Vet Interns, it is taped at Alameda East Veterinary Hospital In Denver Colorado. If you google the name of the hospital you will get their web site. The name of the intern was Dr. Kevin Drygas from the University of Florida and the boxers name was Mickey. I don't remember the name of the doctor on the case. They (or the University of Florida Veterinary College) might be able to supply the actual name of the procedure and if it would work on a paw. But I would call some local vets and specialists first to see if anyone knows something that will work. I would think after the wound was closed it would need to be dressed in a way to prevent licking and chewing, and to keep pressure of the healing wound. Good luck!

When my rabbit was fixed, her vet new she was very active and a big chewer so she put in double stitches and tightly spaced staples in case she chewed any on the stitches or staples. Of course she ended up being a model patient!

Is he being crated or does he run around all day on the wound? Regardless of what vet you go to, he needs time off of the foot.

I have tried wrapping problems with advanced bandaging and my old girl chewed my very best efforts, so I am not sure that wrapping it will work. Unless you use some very heavy duty tape and E-collar.

Best of luck!

Shannon, that is so very frustrating and I'm sorry you are dealing with it.

An idea, which may not be popular, but may work surprisingly well, would be to superglue part of a teabag over the area. The teabag material (tea removed) works as a good bandage, and the superglue is great at holding to surrounding skin. You might be able to skip the tea bag and just glue the wound itself closed too. Probably better if he's not a chewer. The reason I say it's probably not a popular choice is that some people are apprehensive about exposing themselves (or someone else) to the chemicals in superglue. If you do this, be sure to clean and dry the wound well before having at it. Superglue was used by field medics in Vietnam with great success, and we've used it on our animals (as well as ourselves) with very good success- I look at it that we don't use much and it's maybe once in a lifetime for our animals, so the exposure risk is probably small. I glued one of the cat's pawpads back together a few years ago when he managed to get them sliced up (long story)- they healed beautifully. When I was a kid we had a rat whose tail got caught and almost severed in her cage door. We glued her tail back together with superglue, it took and reattached fully. Personally, I swear by the stuff.

It's my understanding that someone out there makes a medical grade superglue as well. If you're uncomfortable using regular superglue on your dog, you can see if there's anything OTC available to the consumer, or perhaps ask your vet if she has any knowledge about such a product.

Good luck, I hope you find something that works.

First thing I would do is see another VET.

The second thing I would do is crate the dog when it cannot be supervised. Then I would probably pack the wound with some alginate dressing. And I would use an e-collar if necessary.

It sounds like limiting the dogs activity level is going to be needed. And maybe even a soft cast to keep the foot in one position while it heals.

Thank you, everyone, for your advice.

In the beginning, the vet didn't want to bandage the paw because she said it would hold in moisture and cause in infection. But then after the stitches and staples didn't work she did bandage and when I took him in a couple days later for her to check it - sure enough it was infected. So, then she seemed really frustrated and not sure what to do! So, she went back to just keeping no bandage on it and letting it heal as an open wound. I tell you - I have been in tears over this because it has been so frustrating.

Luckily, he has not been too interested in licking it. I do have an E-collar but only had to use it when he had the bandage on it because he did not like the bandage. I have been trying to limit his activity and he's been good about it. I carry him up and down the stairs and I don't let him jump on and off the furniture and I carry him outside when he has to do his business.

Anyway, this morning - for the first time - the wound does not look as raw and "moist". It seems to be more dry and is, hopefully, starting to form a scab. I am going to give it one more day and if it starts looking bad again I am going to take him to a new vet. He is scheduled to go back to his regular vet on Wed. but I don't know if I will take him there again - we have not been too happy with them.

Again, thank you for the replies!

Shannon

An open wound normally heals from the inside out, not the outside in. I've had a cat who had surgery for an abscess in her cheek, she got the stiches out the first day and it was just an awful sight, very deep, you could see the muscle tissue in her cheek. But slowly and surely it healed. She'd clean it by licking her paw and rubbing that on the wound.

Just recently one of my dog hads 3 growths removed. He, too, removed all the stitches within 2 hours of getting home from the vet. He licked his wounds and at night when we were getting ready to go to bed, I'd put antibotic ointment on the wounds. They have finally healed.

It's a long process but it sounds from today's post that you're over the worst of it.

Another thought for you- if you want to let the wound heal from the inside out, you can use an antiseptic wash on it a couple times a day. One of my cats had an abscess burst not too long back (never even saw it until it was at the burst point), and we just irrigated it a couple times a day with dr. Pitcarin's abscess wash which is 1 cup distilled water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon betadyne (buy the generic stuff next to it for half the price if you don't already have some). Kitty's abscess healed beautifully and quickly using this stuff, it does a great job keeping a wound clean.

I agree with njtea - patience is the key.

Pretend that you don't like your dog and you want him/her to suffer. Just kidding but sometimes you have to just tough it out. I wouldn't worry about it unless it's been a few weeks and just does not seem better.

vicky

Glad to hear your dog is improving.

Based on the information you gave, I'd strongly suggest you immediately find an experienced vet who will regularly check and supervise your dog's recovery. Don't want to scare you, but there are lots of nasty bacteria, including tetanus, that can easily enter open wounds such as you describe.

I've cared for two large (150 pound dogs) with foot wounds that took a long time to heal. You need a vet who has done this successfully before. As far as I know, experienced vets and surgeons wait longer than 10 or 14 days to remove stitches so the foot has time to heal and withstand the stress of weightbearing. If the wound opens, a knowledgeable surgeon or vet will evaluate it and make sure your dog gets medically appropriate treatment until it is healed properly.

The first case I know of(surgery and stitches)took 4 to 5 weeks to heal completely, and the surgeon checked, cleaned, and rebandaged our dog every week. The second case took 8 weeks (a deep abcess that got infected and burst), and the vet checked our dog regularly. That time we used a betadine soak, dried, and rebandaged the foot every day.

Both cases also required protecting the foot from contamination when outside (we put it inside a plastic baggie), limited weightbearing, and an e-collar as necessary. In both cases, the treating surgeon/vet also suggested oral antibiotic as an additional safeguard.

Good luck. IMHO, a knowledgeable and experienced vet/surgeon will make all the difference to you and your dog.

Find a vet with experience in open wounds. As said above, they heal from the inside out. A scab is the last thing you want, I think. Open woulds are cleaned (even scrubbed!) daily and do slowly close. I have seen this with decubitus ulcers on elders in nursing homes. I also stayed home sick last week and watched a lot of the ER vet shows on Animal Planet (also see above) and they showed a horse with a huge gaping wound in its neck. Another stallion had bitten and ripped his neck open in a fight over a mare. They kept it clean- hosed it out daily with a garden hose - and it took months to heal. It was a flap of skin and muscle about 18 inches long and a foot wide. It did close up as it healed - slowly closing from the inside out.

You might ask for a "wound specialist" when you call. Do you have a university with a veterinary school anywhere nearby?

I wonder what you have done. I would have used the collar, but used it consistently - not just at certain times.

I think I would have bandaged both paws, but the infected one should be soaked and dressed a few times a day - but with the direction of a knowledgable vet. Surely the dog is on antibiotics?

Sammy