Question:
What a day!!! We moved into our new home today!!! We had originally decided to take Brick to Pami's for the night and today...but the weather was soo bad, we decided to keep him and just look after him here while they are loading furniture in and out.

He was in the backyard of our new place, and jumped the fence to see what the commotion was in the front, so I put him back there again. When I went to let him in again, there was soooooo much blood all over the step and in the snow. :( His pad on his back foot was cut and it looked fairly deep, and also his dew claw on his front paw was split in half right down to the quick!! We think he jumped and cut his foot on some wood on the fence. Even though we checked the fence before we moved in, he must have found a splinter or something!!! OUCHERS!!! My poor boy!!

I tried to stop the bleeding on his pad, and bandaged it up and took him to the vet to see if he needed stitches. The vet trimmed his nail so it wouldn't snag on anything, bandaged up his foot and gave him antibiotics. He is walking around with a sock on his foot so he doesn't lick it and has to put a bag on it to go outside!!! He is limping on it still and it seems to be really bothering him. He's pretty lethargic too, but I'm sure that is cuz his foot hurts like hell!!!! Sooo NOT like Brick!!!! I'm wondering if he will need stitches after all?!?!?

We are supposed to take the bandages off tomorrow, then give him a foot soak. The vet tech said she would tell us how to do the soak, but forgot, and I forgot until after when the office was closed. Does anyone know how to do this? She mentioned antibacterial dish soap diluted in water, soak for 5 min. dry and rebandage...but she wanted to check with the vet first....does this sound right????

I wish I had taken him to play with Helix & Kia!!!! :(

Answer:
Poor Brick! He probably didn't want to stay in the strange backyard and wanted to be out front with you. The lethargy is probably from the antibiotics. They'll probably affect his appetite as well. I have no experience with the soak thing. When Den-Den had the drainage tube in his neck, we sponged the area to clean it with warm water and hydrogen peroxide, 50-50. Right now, his world probably seems a bit unsettled because of the move. He needs to be babied and reassured. I'm sorry your first day in your new home was so traumatic for all of you!

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i have nothing to offer but mu sympathy. im so sorry for the little guy. give him extra love from me

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Antibacterial soap sounds sensible....I've had a few dogs with cut pads, over the years.
Many years ago, I had a dog who cut his pad & had a few stitches. Taping a plastic bag on was cumbersome & kept ripping. So I thought, maybe a condom would work.
I remember going to the drug store and actually asking the ladies behind the counter what was the largest condom they carried, and explaining why I needed it. They so totally did not believe me, it was hilarious!!
BTW, don't try that. Condoms rip in seconds when put on an active dog's foot.

Answer:
Thanks you guys!! I know NOW that we should have taken him somewhere safe, but hind site is 20-20!! I feel responsible!! That is exactly it glassy, he DID want to be near us, although I was inside, he heard all the commotion and Tim in front!! He has gotten soooo much love, he's just taking it alllll in!!! LOL

LMAO Carina - I would have never thought of a condom!!! LOL Cut pads bleed like crazyyyy!!! I can't believe how much blood there was!!! Ugh!!!!

The "bag" they gave me was actually an old IV bag with a piece of gauze strung through the top to tie it on. It works ok, but is sooo slippery, I feel so bad for him hobbling on 3 legs and trying to use his back leg for traction and not getting any!! If I didn't feel so bad for him, it would be comical!!!

His bandages come off today, so we'll see if it's started to heal. We'll do the soak then rewrap it....and I'll keep you posted!! The sock is working awesome for keeping him from licking it!!!

Any other ideas for the soak????

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Poor Brick,moving days are chaotic as it is...
When you are reasonably settled in,you owe us lots of pics of your Zoo and your new house,of course including pretty Brick

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Thanks Anita!!! I will for sure - when I find the camera!!! LOL The computer and TV were the first things set up, after the bed!!!!

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Awww!!! :( I'm sooooo sorry Chris!! Poor Brick, but don't blame yourself AT ALL! He'll be fine, as long as his pad has the chance to heal properly. The roads were terrible last night, and today, so I don't blame you at all for not wanting to risk the long drive out to our place.

As for the foot soak, Cusco, Carlos' family's mal, had to do that when he got a fungal infection on his nail bed. The vet gave them some special anti-bacterial soap, that they had to dilute with water and soak his feet in for I think like 30 seconds or so, then wipe. That had to be done twice a day I think. I don't think you're supposed to use normal soap, but your vet may suggest that they're all the same, which I'm sure they are.

Here's lots of hugs and kisses to Brick, and when he's feeling better, we'll go for a nice long walk so he can see Kia and Helix again!

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Thanks Pami!!! I thought it was doing good after we took the bandage off and soaked it, but we got some unexpected company and he got all excited and was moving around a lot! He was supposed to be "relaxing"...but you know Brick.....go go go go go go goooooooooo!!!!! LOL It looks like it cut half his pad and part of his foot. It was easier to see today as all the blood had been cleared away with the foot soak. It was nasty looking!!!

Anyways, it started to bleed again, so we had to bandage it up again, and if it doesn't stop we will have to take him back to the vet for stitches!! :(

My poor boy!!!

Answer:
Well, all is healing nicely, although he has to try to stay calm!! HA!!!
Easy enough to say..but not with Brick!!! I took him for a short walk yesterday, that seemed to help his "antsiness"!! The antibacterial soap foot soak worked great!

I found the culprit...a shard of wood sticking out of the top of the gate, where a piece had already broken off. The blood trail led right to there!!! Who would have thought soooo much blood could come out of such a tiny spot!! UGH!!!

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