# poor healing after toe amputation



## ciottidj (Mar 8, 2012)

I'm hoping I can get some advice about my standard poodle Nick. He had his toe amputated a week ago due to cancer (squamous cell carcinoma), and the wound is not healing well - the tip of the bone is sticking out of the middle of the sutures. The vet is saying wait and see if it will heal up, otherwise he will need further amputation... Any advice?


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## Lilah+Jasper (May 13, 2010)

Here is my reply to your intro post:

Oh my word - poor Nick! I have no experience with this but I would seek out the advice from a different vet ASAP. I really hate the "wait and see" answer. Does Nick seem to be in pain?

Welcome to the forum...


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## petitpie (Nov 16, 2011)

Other vet opinions.......


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Oh my, I agree, that does not seem right --- I would call another vet right away.


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## bigpoodleperson (Jul 14, 2009)

Agreed! He needs to see someone else and get another opinion. Bone sticking out poses a Huge risk for infections, is super painful, and just shouldnt happen. Is he able to lick at his foot At All?! If so then you must stop him. Poor guy! Good luck!


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## flyingpoodle (Feb 5, 2012)

ciottidj said:


> I'm hoping I can get some advice about my standard poodle Nick. He had his toe amputated a week ago due to cancer (squamous cell carcinoma), and the wound is not healing well - the tip of the bone is sticking out of the middle of the sutures. The vet is saying wait and see if it will heal up, otherwise he will need further amputation... Any advice?


Other vet-FAST! I am a pharmacist, and I asked a vet that calls my pharmacy often, but who only does housecalls for a recommendation when I was looking for a vet when we thought our dog might have toe cancer and our regular vet was missing it. Ended up with a fantastic vet, a poodle missing two front toes on each foot eventually, but living years longer than if we'd stuck with old vet. 

You need to find someone who is better with surgery. Exposed bone is a huge infection risk as far as I know, and I know you can get someone better. Ask around for a vet know for surgery or cancer expertise, you could ask pharmacists or other vets. Try calling a cancer center pharmacy if there is one in your town or city or nearby. See what names pop up.


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## Raisin'sMom (Mar 17, 2011)

Oh, my. Sounds painful. I would probably find another vet.


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## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

ciottidj: Unless I missed it, you have not posted since your original posting. What is the status? Did you go to a new vet? Please update everyone.


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## zyrcona (Jan 9, 2011)

ciottidj said:


> I'm hoping I can get some advice about my standard poodle Nick. He had his toe amputated a week ago due to cancer (squamous cell carcinoma), and the wound is not healing well - the tip of the bone is sticking out of the middle of the sutures. The vet is saying wait and see if it will heal up, otherwise he will need further amputation... Any advice?


If it definitely is bone protruding from the wound and not something else, then it won't heal over. The skin contracts as it heals and it sounds like the surgeon has left too much bone in place to be covered by the remaining skin. The wound is also in a risky place with the dog's feet being in contact with the ground and any dirt and bacteria on it. I would seriously look for a second opinion. I am sorry that Nick has had toe cancer, and hope his wound gets sorted out soon and it has been caught in time.


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## ciottidj (Mar 8, 2012)

Nick saw his regular vet today for a bandage change and check of his foot. The sutures were removed (it has been 2 weeks since the amputation.) The wound is still open in the middle and you can see the cartiledge at the end of the bone. There is no sign of infection, and the wound otherwise looks good. His vet thinks there is a 50/50 chance that the wound will close, and that we can wait a week or two to see if it is moving in the right direction. I have talked to another poodle owner who had a similar problem with wound healing after an amputation that took a month to heal.
We also have an appointment tomorrow with a vet that has many poodle breeders as clients, so that we can get another perspective on this.

Thanks for your concern. If anyone out there has experience with this squamous cell carcinoma and/ or toe amputation, I'd appreciate your insights.


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## ciottidj (Mar 8, 2012)

Flyingpoodle - How much of your dog's toes were removed? Did your dog have much pain? How long did it take for him or her to get back to normal? Any problems with the healing?
Nick's vet just removed the 1st two bones and left the third. The report from the lab was good "the margins are clean" i.e. they got all the cancer. But the skin around the sutures in the middle tore - that's why the incision is open in the middle. Nick is an active guy and apparently the pressure on the stitches was too great. The vet feels there's a chance it will close; if not he wants to remove the third bone of the toe. 
There's no sign of infection. Nick's on oral antibiotics, and I'm spraying the wound with Vetericyn and keeping it bandaged.


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## zyrcona (Jan 9, 2011)

ciottidj said:


> The wound is still open in the middle and you can see the cartiledge at the end of the bone.


Oh, that sounds better. I mistook your original post to mean that bone was actually poking out beyond the wound. :-S Perhaps you can encourage him to be lazy while it heals?


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## schpeckie (Jun 29, 2010)

Gosh, I hope Nick feels better soon! Please keep us updated on his recovery. Sylvia


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## ciottidj (Mar 8, 2012)

It has been a little over a month since Nick's stitches were removed, and after much work and worry , the toe has healed up well. The second vet recommended soaking the foot in warm epsom salt solution, which I did twice a day for 3 weeks, then once a day for another week. In addition, I sprayed Nick's wound 3 to 4 times a day with Vetericyn Hydrogel, a wound antiseptic and healing spray. We taped a child's light weight cotton sock on his foot as long as the wound was open to keep in clean, and he wore an e-collar whenever we couldn't watch him to keep him from getting at the wound. Now we are monitoring the remaining toes, hoping the cancer does not recur.
I'll try to attach before and after pictures.


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