Big Paws Only Dog Forums
BPO General Forum => General Board for Big Dogs with Big Paws => : EllieAndBlu March 27, 2006, 10:20:55 AM
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Greetings Y'all!
I feel like such a bad mom.... here is why:
I noticed a few days ago my 2 1/2 year old dobie/pit mix Ellie was licking her paw quite a bit... I didn't think too much cause she hasn't been limping or anything and really i thought she was just cleaning herself...
but last night she was again licking away under the covers in my bed - where Ellie has slept since she was 8 weeks old.
I poked my head under the covers to see what she had been licking for so long - and it was her paw again. So I took the opportunity to take a look. (this is where the story goes bad) I went to hold her paw - and when I touched it - she yelped like I've never hear before - jumped out of the bed and geeked out for a minute.... Then she huddled in her own bed and shook - all while looking at me like.... "Mom - why did you hurt me?!" It was awful! I went to her bed and tried to reassure her and she did give me kisses - but was still obviously shaken up...
Then the worst part... I called her back to get her under the covers - she jumped up went under the covers to the location of the incident - spun around, jumped out of the bed - went to her own bed and would not come back... it broke my heart - I felt sooooooo bad - and as y'all can tell - still do!!!
When I realized she didn't want to sleep in my bed - a first in over 2 years - I got a blanket and covered her up in her own bed.
She did still wake me up in the middle of the night to go out - like she does every night - and did sleep in my bed after that - but was still not totally herself this morning.
She is going to the vet tomorrow to get checked out.
Meanwhile - I just feel awful!
Has anyone else experienced anything like this before?
Thanks for listening y'all! Sorry this is soooo long!
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Yes...it's happened to me as well! Otis, my first Newf did it and it was from an abcess in his paw from a fox tail (NASTY weeds we have here!!!). The vet got it out and after a round of antibiotics, he was fine. AND Otis forgave me!!! ;D ;D
Because those #$%&*** foxtails are around here from about a weeek from now until November, I've learned to check the pups' paws whenever we get back from a walk on the hillsides. I HATE THOSE #$%^& weeds!!!
I'm sure Ellie will be fine and all will be back to normal soon!!!
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awwww thanks - I knew y'all would help me feel better - - and I am sure in a few weeks I will laugh about how Ellie geeked out.... right?! I hope! :)
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You're not the worst mom!!! We've had a similar experience, also with a foxtail (aargh!). Our first newfie got one stuck in her tail and it made a nasty abcess. The vet was able to fix it right up and she forgave us too. I'm sure Ellie will bounce right back. :)
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Just wondering....
can you see an abcess? without getting too close?
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Not really. It's a bubble of puss (I know...ewwww!) under the skin. Depending on where it is, you may not be able to see it unless you get a hold of the paw and push the fur aside. It is VERY painful, though. If she's not limping, it may be on the top of the paw. The vet will lance it to get the infection out and then put her on antibiotics. It heals quickly once it's cleaned out....that's the good news!!
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oh dang - that sounds like what it could be - because it was the top of her paw she was licking... will the vet have to put her under to lance it - cause I have a feeling she isn't going to be a willing participant?
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Maybe the vet will just use a sedative to relax her.
A funny story...with Otis and his abcess I took him to our closest vet. Now Otis was a VERY large boy...about 155 pounds and 34 inches at the shoulder but as gentle and sweet as they come. The vet walked it, took one look at him and turned white. He started to probe his paw and of course, Otis yelped!
The vet started to sweat and his hands started to shake (NOT a good thing to do with a long tweezers and a dog in pain). We are all together crouched on the floor and the vet tried again...again Otis yelped. Now he didn't snap, growl or do anything threatening... .but the vet decided to sedate him, which was fine. Otis relaxed, the vet, is now DRIPPING with sweat, and I realize the vet is scared to death of Otis!!! As soon as he was finished, he asked me to get Otis out of the exam room...while Otis was still like a wet noodle! Otis was such a good boy that when I told him to come, he bascially did a low crawl out of the room and down the hall to where I had to pay the bill. The horrified look of all the people in the waiting room with poor Otis bloodied, bandaged and crawling was hysterical. The vet then yelled at me to bring him back in an exam room! At that point, all I wanted was out, so I took my poor bedraggeled beast out and managed to pour him in to the car. Otis was fine later in the day, but we never went back to that vet!!!! ;) ;) ;) ;)
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I couldn't help but chuckle at your sweet Otis, doing the "pub crawl" out of the exam room.... that is a good boy!
I can imagine how it looked to the people in the waiting room.....lol
As for the vet... I am guessing when he attended school he was educated on all the sizes of animals, esp. dogs he would come in contact with.... perhaps he should have specialized as a "small animal vet" ... as in hamsters and mice....lol
by the way - getting 155-pounds of "relaxed" Otis in/out of the car - I am impressed! I could barely carry a case of soda in the basement last night! ;)
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So true...maybe single cell animals??
It was very funny! Otis was so special and he did every thing he could to get away from that place! One thing about having giant breed dogs, you don't have to worry about your upper body strength!!! When it comes to these guys, it's amazing what I can lift!!! ::) ::)
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One thing about having giant breed dogs, you don't have to worry about your upper body strength!!! When it comes to these guys, it's amazing what I can lift!!! ::) ::)
yet just another reason I NEED a newfie! ;D
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Yeah, whenever I've been asked who my trainer is, I say Cowboy and Chester!!! :D :D :D
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Oh, poor Otis!
Yeah, whenever I've been asked who my trainer is, I say Cowboy and Chester!!! :D :D :D
Yea for your trainers! :D
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My arms are strong, but don't look at the rest, 'k?? ;D ;D
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It turns out Ellie's dew claw on her front left paw was split all the way down the middle. The vet said he sedated her and cut the dew down to the base. Ellie will be on some pain meds for the next few days - which I hate because they zone her out a bit... and this morning she threw up. my poor baby girl! And - how bad do I feel that I didn't even notice her painful boo-boo!
Plus.... she is again with the not sleeping in mama's bed. Last night she didn't even climb in after her middle-of-the-night pee. I am chalking it up to the pain meds and not trying to take it personally! :)
Thanks for the support y'all!
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Sorry to hear about Ellies dew claw. At least you found the source of the pain. I am sure once she heals and is off the meds she will be back to herself ;)
Heres to a fast recovery Ellie :-*
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Don't feel bad; you got it taken care of!
Chester didn't look me in the eye for two days after his neuter...I think it was the pain meds too!!! ;)
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Thanks y'all!
And thanks newflvr - your post will remind me to blame the meds for Ellie sleeping in her own bed! :)
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Oh, poor Ellie! Good for you for finding it and getting it fixed. I'm sure she'll be back to normal (aka sleeping in the bed) right away! :)
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I am thrilled to report.... my girl is back to her ol' self.... and back to sleeping with her mama! :)
Thanks again for the support y'all!
BPO'ers to the rescue... again!
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Yippee! :)