1/5/20 – Dash update..
This little puppy has been through a whole lot in his short little life so far.. These are pics of what his foot looks like as of today. I haven’t posted pics of his injury prior because the photos from 3 weeks ago were very graphic.
My goal was to prevent this puppy’s foot from further infection, prevent amputation, get some weight on him, get his age required shots, and make sure he knew he was loved by everyone he meets.
His foot is healing nicely, he has doubled in size (3.5 lbs to 10 lbs) in 3 weeks, and he is a fearless puppy with an entire future ahead. Unfortunately, we will never know the cause of his injury.
We can only assume he experienced a major traumatic event causing him to lose a large portion of the underside of his foot involving tissue and tendon loss, sloughing paw pads and toe nails, and a dislocated toe. Also, 3 of 4 back toes are totally fused together and the section between what’s left of the big pad and the small pads is flattened.
He puts weight on the foot, but when he is in pain he turns his foot outward to shift his weight.
I haven’t made a decision on his placement because my focus has been his immediate healing.
Now, my plan is to consult with a veterinarian who specializes in this area.
Even tho Dash is doing wonderful I cannot ignore the injury he sustained to a part of his body that can be the most difficult to heal because of weight bearing and because he is a large breed growing pup.
He may need nothing major, or he could have special needs with that foot for the rest of his life.
I have spoken to several Veterinarian’s over the last 3 weeks and everyone has been helpful in one way or another. Now, I am thinking of his future and what he may need longterm. It’s all about him and giving him the best opportunity to thrive.
Thank you all for your support and prayers. He is one very special boy. I will update again once we know more.