Null ([info]vomitrocity) wrote in [info]pomeranians,
2010-09-08 12:57:00

Paw Woes

Hey fellow Pom Moms & Dads.

Little Bowser had a mishap, and was left with a broken metatarsal bone in his right front paw.


He got a splint instead of a cast, but the tech told me this is going to be a rough three months. If it gets wet he can get a skin infection underneath. I have to go back and have it changed if it moves, falls off, or gets wet. My first of many, many re-checks over the next few months is tomorrow already. Right now he's in a lot of pain, (and sedated because he didn't want his x-rays taken,) but in a week or two it's going to get really hard to keep him from moving around a lot.

Do any of you have experience with long term injuries and any advice on what I can do?
Right now he's just crashed out on the couch.

We have a 5 month old Mastiff puppy, too, so I'm just really worried about the puppy trying to roughhouse when my back is turned. Any advice on that would be grand as well.

I am very lucky that my vet allowed me to do a payment plan. This happened the day I got out of the hospital myself! It's just a miserable, horrible week for us. I don't know how I'm going to afford 3 months of re-checks, my first one is already scheduled for tomorrow! Another $35+ on top of the $500 total I rang up this morning.
Tags: pets, photos, pomeranians, sickness, vet

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  • 17 comments

[info]bubblebobble

September 8 2010, 18:13:48 UTC 1 year ago

i would keep the puppy separated from him unless you are right there with your eyes on them. for the first few weeks i'd probably keep bowser up on the couch or chair all comfy as much as possible so he owuldnt be moving much.


Can I ask how he is getting along with the new pup? We recently got a GSD puppy who just turned 3 months and its tough!

[info]vomitrocity

September 8 2010, 18:29:14 UTC 1 year ago

It's really tough.
During the day they are ike this:

But they're both pretty crazy in the morning and evenings.
Moose Wayne just wants to play and doesn't realize how small Bowser is, and Bowser tries all his warning movements and sounds and the puppy just doesn't get it. Fortunately, my boyfriend takes the puppy to the dog park every morning for at least an hour and it helps. Bowser has no interest in playing at all so it's just a matter of us keeping our eyes on Moose and distracting him when he tries to engage the wee one.

Good luck with the GSD!! Mastiffs are a lot more calm than most dogs, even as puppies, so I can't imagine having an even more rambunctious animal around!

Thank you for the advice, that's pretty much what I'll be doing.
Luckily I'll be home today and tomorrow, but I go back to work on Friday. Normally I take him with me, so this will be a first! Even more things that make me nervous D;

[info]bubblebobble

September 8 2010, 18:31:52 UTC 1 year ago

yea its about the same for Ouija and Omen. Ouija has NEVER been a lets play type of dog

[info]vomitrocity

September 8 2010, 18:49:59 UTC 1 year ago

Bowser pretty much hates dogs. He especially hates large dogs and puppies.

HEY I HAVE A GREAT IDEA

lol

[info]bubblebobble

September 8 2010, 18:52:32 UTC 1 year ago

lol Ouija was fine with other dogs he just never cared or noticed them really. So I brought him before we got the puppy. he even kissed him! then we get home and hes like 'WAIT A GOD DAMN SECOND THAT THING CAME HOME??!?!?!'

[info]vomitrocity

September 8 2010, 19:14:13 UTC 1 year ago

Lol, yeah, after a week or so you could tell Bowser was thinking "Why is he still here?!?!?"

XD

[info]keepcalmcarryon

September 8 2010, 20:10:34 UTC 1 year ago

Haha, Steve also hates other dogs (large ones and puppies also especially!) and my husband just bought a Husky puppy who is currently 3 months old. Thankfully the puppy is calm (way more calm than Steve) and will be a mostly outside dog, but still, I sort of feel your pain!

Sorry about Bowser! I can't imagine what you guys are going through but I know you'll get through it. I guess the only things you can do are to keep him separated and in a sort of confinement where he can't hurt himself. :/

[info]vomitrocity

September 8 2010, 20:21:09 UTC 1 year ago

Pom Containment Unit is go!


I'll probably take the big bed out and put in a bed that only covers half if I put a water bowl in there, but the longest he'll be home alone would be 3 or 4 hours, so I don't know.

He's all drugged up for now, so we'll see.

Thank you. :)

[info]platinumpinup

September 8 2010, 18:18:58 UTC 1 year ago

A baby's playpin or segregate him in the kitchen, and use a child's gate to block it off. It may seem cruel, but it's for his own good.

[info]vomitrocity

September 8 2010, 18:31:35 UTC 1 year ago

Hmmmm it's a studio apartment but we do have a bedroom.
I will talk to my boyfriend about letting Bowser have the bedroom while we're at work.... though he might try jumping on the bed.

You know what... we still have the OMG GIANT crate from when we were house training the Mastiff!
Maybe I can set that up as a little home for the Bean until further notice.

Thank you!

[info]platinumpinup

September 8 2010, 18:35:12 UTC 1 year ago

That, could be perfect! Just put his food/water, toy/bone, a nice bed, and he should be good to go! :]

[info]vomitrocity

September 8 2010, 18:49:17 UTC 1 year ago

Thank you! :D

[info]banditdacatsmom

September 8 2010, 18:49:32 UTC 1 year ago

Why did they do a splint instead of a cast? I'm just wondering, because if this is going to take a while to heal why wouldn't they have done the cast. If something doesn't sound right, it may not hurt to get a second opinion.

I agree with keeping him separate from the puppy when you can't be there to watch him.

[info]vomitrocity

September 8 2010, 19:13:31 UTC 1 year ago

A splint is easier to take off and re-apply if anything goes wrong. A cast can't get wet either. She said that in small dogs, fractures like this tend to heal nicely with just a splint. She said the bone is not very misaligned, and it is one metacarpal right in the middle. When splinted, the other metacarpals act as internal splints.

I don't know, it's a minor fracture so it doesn't require surgery or a cast, but a fracture is still a fracture so it will take a long time and a lot of patience and attention. :(

[info]krissybeth

September 10 2010, 01:13:59 UTC 1 year ago

Seconding the why no cast question.

My dog broke her leg when she was 8 months old. I don't know how the severity of the injury compares, but she had a cast and was hobbling around like it didn't phase her one bit. She put lots of weight on the cast. We put a plastic baggy over the cast so it wouldn't get wet if the grass was wet. The cast bandage had to be changed once a week as I recall. It got really grody!

[info]mintymix

September 9 2010, 03:35:40 UTC 1 year ago

aww!!

[info]bukiluki

November 8 2010, 02:13:09 UTC 1 year ago

injured bowser pics are heart-breakingly adorable! love the little heart on his cast. hope he heals okay.
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