# Broken toe?



## Weezawoo (Aug 5, 2012)

Has anyone ever had a dog with a broken toe?

We had a small accident with little pup yesterday. My OH accidentally shut her paw in the car boot door. It was horrific, I was so close to crying I hated seeing her like that!

We were leaving my mums so took her straight back in and she has a look. At the time she didn't think it felt broken (she has had dogs for years so is quite knowledgeable) we put an ice pack on her paw for a few mins and then put her on the floor just to see how she was. She wouldn't put all her weight on it but also wasn't yelping when running, she was still rather active so we were hoping it would just be bruised. 

I kept the ice pack on the whole ride home to help any bruising and swelling and have put it on a couple times today. We have had her out and she is still tearing around playing but limping all day. She doesnt yelp when I touch the paw just pulls away and bites.

I have just been sat with her and comparing it to the same toe on the other foot and I am certain it is broken. The good toe has a lot more strength on the knuckle part and the one I think is broken doesn't seem to have a knuckle and is where she pulls away the most.

I have been reading up online about going to the vets and people have said all they do is X-ray, bandage it and tell you to rest them for a few weeks but charge a bomb for it! Now I have the free insurance so can claim but I was wondering if people have any advice for doing it myself?

My mum is going to come over tomorrow and bandage it up as she has all necessary kit. I have read online about putting cotton wool in between toes and around the toe then wrap it etc. 

I really hope she is okay,I'm just really worried! I hate that she is going to have to be in the crate a lot because if she is out she tried to play with Bella and vice versa.

Oh it is the second toe in from the inside of her left foot.


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## Leanne77 (Oct 18, 2011)

I had a dog with a broken toe, she did it chasing a ball on the field. She never made a sound and wanted to carry on playing. The only tell tale sign was her taking the weight off her leg, and her toe sticking out at an odd angle!

Yes, it did cost me a fortune but I wouldnt attempt to fix it myself.


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## metaldog (Nov 11, 2009)

I had a puppy who broke his toe by it being shut in a door. The vet advised rest and said it would heal itself, which it did without any lameness in the future. We did not use any dressings at all.

Best to get it checked out by the vet and see what they say  The danger of banadaging yourself is that you could make the toe heal at the wrong angle causing pain in later life. Also you have to be very careful of the tightness of the bandage as It's easy to restrict blood supply which can cause irreparable damage and result in huge vet bills.

Bizkit had a cut dressed on his foot and the dressing was changed every other day for three weeks. It was expensive but I only paid the excess because I've got him insured. If you've got insurance then why are you considering risking self treatment?


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## mollymo (Oct 31, 2009)

I had a girlie with a broken toe after my horse trod on her:scared:

My vet said it would heal on its own with rest.
I would get her checked out by your vet anyway to be on the safe side


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## littleangel01 (Jul 3, 2011)

rio broke her toe once it was horrible as she screamed the place down  but was fine after a bit infact i cried more then she did 

no bandaged was used but the vet did give her pain killers which helped alot as she would sometimes knock it. he also gave her something for the swelling i think 

would def go to a vet yes it can cost a lot but its worth it just to be safe and for the pain killers


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Personally I would take her to the vet, if you bandage the foot yourself and the toe isnt in the right place and aligned properly then you could make it even more derformed and out of line. Not only that if you bandage the leg too tight as someone else said and cut off the blood supply you will be in deep trouble.

I would get it checked especially as you even have the free insurance. If you go to the vet and he did say it will sort itself at least you know its the right thing.

ETA it could even just be dislocated if its a toe joint, that would mean just popping it back in messing with it and bandaging it with a dislocation with it out of line is going to make it worse.


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

I would definitely go to the vet. I treat a lot of things myself as I have the training and experience to do so but would not hesitate to go to the vet with that injury. It could well be that they do nothing (like a human broken finger) but it may need some attention. They will only xray if they think it necessary, if it is obviously broken but not needing attention then you will get pain killers and advice.
I certainly do not think insurance should be an issue and I would not claim unless it is very expensive as you will end up with an exclusion on that foot.


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## Horse and Hound (May 12, 2010)

Kind of...

Roo and Harvey were hurtling round on a walk on one Saturday then dissapeared, yelped and came back on 3 feet. I carried on though, thinking he may walk it off and he seemed fine later on that day.

However on the Monday morning he was limping so we took him to the vet. They xrayed him and he had a chipped bone on his toe and they said an infection too. So all they did basically was give him anti-biotics and left him to it as they wouldn't strap it up to give the infection time to drain.

He was right as rain in a few days...so am inclined to think the infection was causing him more of an issue!


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## Redice (Dec 4, 2011)

mollymo said:


> I had a girlie with a broken toe after my horse trod on her:scared:
> 
> My vet said it would heal on its own with rest.
> I would get her checked out by your vet anyway to be on the safe side


I had a horse stand on my Puppies foot and break his toe too! The Vet x.rayed and wrapped in bandages and advised restricted activity. I went back every week to have the foot redressed from what I can remember. Because he was still a young Puppy the foot look very different when the dressing was finally left off but it soon caught up with the other one and has caused no problems since and he went to win a class at Crufts. There is a knobbly bit where the break was but no other evidence. Of course there is always a chance that he could develop arthritis here later and in fact the Inursance company won't insure that foot! He is 9 now though and so far so good.

Like others have said I would always let the vet check it out first with X.rays and then if necessary dress it.


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