English Pointer-vet diagnosed paw-need feedback or second opinion?

Question

My 5 year old English pointer is a very active beach dog. However, after playing too much and over compensating on her front left paw (for one reason or another), it became extended and flat looking. The vet said it was degeneration of the paw, basically a condition where the toes/foot look funny and elongated and lose their natural bend..The cartlilige and everything else basically breaks down. This makes her limp but does not slow her down. The vet suggested for her to lose some weight and quit running so much, however, the paw never gets better. I am worried it looks like it may become lame in a year or 2. You can hear the limp in her stride on the wood floors. But at the beach or park, you would never know it, it never stops her which is truly the sad part in the long. Is my dogs paw going to give out before she does? She goes crazy when you don't exercise her, so that is not an option. I could resort to swimming her only but that is hard. thanx

the vet said it would not get better and is from over activity. She got some pain killers but I am more worried about the future. More vets equal more money.

He said orthopedic surgery could do little if anything. There is definately no fractures /break (confirmed by xray).

Answer 1

Orthopedic vets do work on tendon and ligament damage ( just had tendon surgery by an orthopod on one of my dogs) and would probably be your best second opinion. This sounds like ^dropped toes^ due to damage to the ligaments that hold the arch in the toes. In running sighthounds this is not considered something that will limit a running career. I have a 15 yr old who's just FINE after cutting her pastern chasing a squirrel a year old resulting in a dropped toes on an entire foot. However once the inital cut healed she was never lame so this may not be the same. There IS a surgical cure developed a few years ago (I KNOW the first dog ever) but the value is sometimes questioned.

PS excess weight is alway hard on joints, tendons, ligaments

Answer 2

5 years is very young for a sporting breed to have any permanent degeneration... I would consider a second opinion. There has to be something you can do, whether it's a doggie ankle-wrap when she's working out, or water-therapy for a few weeks, or surgery. I would ask another vet if I were you, I've never heard of a vet saing nothing can be done for a dog. In this day and age, they can fix anything.

Answer 3

So sorry that is so sad I have no ideas. You said the pills weren't helping? Would it help to put some kind of splint on her leg? that way she could still run around, but the paw wouldn't have as much stress? So sorry though. Good luck. heart goes out for you.

Answer 4

Take her to another vet! or to an orthopedic vet..Sounds like ya have a "lame" vet!