any Ideas? Poor Pepper's leg

[smkie]

I am not going to take her back to this vet. This vet has caused this poor little dog unnecessary pain on top of the agony of her injury. I am angry. I need to know if there is anything that will help get the tape off without removing any more of her skin, or hurting this raw cut from the tape. I doubt this is a normal side effect of having a splint wrap. I have cleaned it of the blood that was on the tape, I have rubbed ointment in it, and put on a light wrap of cotton and and gently lightly wrapped over that. THe tape is still attached on the other side of her leg. The splint is gouging a hole inside of her leg as well on the corner. If you know something that will help dissolve the glue of the tape without hurting her, we would both be grateful. Monday we will go to a different vet, one I know and one I trust.

 

[Assamiea]

Baby oil is usually pretty good at getting off medical tape. I'm sure you could try olive oil in a pinch too. Let it soak into the tape and it should loosen it.

Poor girl, I hope the other vet will be able to help. You too have been through a lot.

 

[Saeleofu]

Acetone works well, but I'd be very careful with it near an open wound. It can sting a bit (not as bad as alcohol, though).

How long has the splint been on? They generally need to be changed every 1-2 weeks, but shouldn't be rubbing sores in less time than that. If it's been on for more than that, though, it's "normal" for sores to appear, but still NOT good.

Tango had a splint on for several weeks...I don't remember how long exactly, but I want to say it was 4-6 weeks, possibly longer. That's how he lost his leg (he nearly died because of it). Splint are safer than casts, but they MUST be changed regularly and kept very, very dry. If they get wet they must be changed immediately.

 

[smkie]

THis is day 5 for this wrap. First too tight, cut a small slit, next morning back at vets, find out it is cutting off circulation at the elbow. Second wrap, too loose, came off while she was laying on the bed. Rewrap, this time, again too loose leg half in and half out of splint. I managed I thought to get it back in place, back to vet because something is wrong, the hair got pushed backward and that caused irriation. Re wrapped this time, after stitches were taking out. THat was Monday of last week. THe tape has sawn a slit into her leg in three places, and the other areas are without skin, plus the corner of the splint has gouged..rubbed, something, there is a worn place of no skin where it has given her grief. I would be afraid to use acetane because I think there is no skin under the rest of that tape. What about petroleum jelly?

Thank you so much for your quick replies. I don't know what I would do without you all. One person put me on the right track with Neccy, another helped me with Victor and his impossible behavior when he first came. You all are a God send.

 

[ThatCrazyGroomer]

Soak it in any kind of oil without added scents, etc (these can cause stingingso avoid scented oils!!!) for about half an hour, it should come right out. Poor baby.

 

[smkie]

It's out of the crook of her leg where it was sawing it's way into her and off of the surrounding area that has no skin on it. The tape is still attached to the rest of her leg, which I don't want to remove, because then we will be back to the thing slipping off again. I took two clean strps of cotton sheeting and gently wrapped that over the raw area and put a piece of vet wrap loosely over that. Nobody will be open tomorrow, so fingers crossed this is enough. Won't let her out of my sight. Thanks all for being there for her. IT's so no fair for a little brown dog.

 

[sassafras]

IMO the bandage/splint should go up a few inches above the crook of the elbow. Otherwise no matter how loosely/correctly it is placed, the tape will tighten and/or dig in just with normal movement of the elbow.

I would slop it up with whatever topical antibiotic ointment you have available, a big telfa or other no-stick dressing pad on top of that, then some gauze for padding, extend the coflex up a bit above the elbow (loosely), and tape the sh*t out of it (loosely).

ETA: And I would change my addition/top part of it daily for at least 2-3 days.

 

[Grab]

In addition, is she being crate rested? Too much movement can cause a ton of issues with splints as well

 

[smkie]

I have been letting her walk out to potty, not far, the length of a driveway, Just enuogh to help her move her bowels,and then carrying her back, but we can go back to carrying her out and then back. We don't have a crate, but she has a mattress on the floor and I am with her 110 percent, so all does inside is lay there. She picked up a toy and gave it a little shake day before ysterday, but that wans't walking or running about just standing there. Will double efforts to make sure there is no friction.

Will also try to dress it as recommended. PEpper and I both thank you for all the comments that will help us get through this. Her leg looks much much better this morning. The red is gone, and is is scabbed over. Not inflamed.

 

[smkie]

That's one hard way to get breakfast in bed.

bored and full of woe.

Neccy has her own woe going with the thunder. We don't have a thunder shirt, but a tucked in blanket seems to make her feel more safe.

 

[JennSLK]

She looks so pathetic. Except in the eating pic she looks angry lol.

Poor Pepper, Im sure she will get better soon

 

[smkie]

She is not pleased that's for sure. But if I tell her to stay until i pick her up, she will stay. If i tell her not to lick she will not lick. She is a very good girl. At elast she has lots of company, I have no idea what I would have done if I could not have been with her through this. The vew times I have had to go somewhere she could not go my Mother has sat with her until i could get back. Don't know what we would do without Great Grandmother, she has always been my dog's back up.
I keep telling her it's not forever, 3 more weeks..just a little bit longer, it's just around the corner and hopefully it will be good as new. It just has to be.

 

[Saeleofu]

That whole splint just looks wrong. We've splinted many dogs' legs at work, and that is NOT what they look like. Poor Pepper...hopefully the new vet will have a clue and she can finish her recovery without any more complications.

 

[smkie]

I cut the seam, put it back in line, it is twisting her leg, it is rubbing agaisnt even tho she won't move an inch, and she wont' potty today either, tho I carried her out to her favorite spot repeatedly, and put it back in line, put back on the sock, and the ties the way i had it. THat way it is at least secure and it is off the back of her elbow like a ruler. She isn't chewing it, and she won't be more than two feet away from me until we are in the humane society tomorrow morning, with a vet I know and trust. I can't stand seeing her like this, it's a form of torture and splints are not suppose to hurt. That much I know. The corner of it is pressing in hard on her muscle the way he had it positioned. I won't be doing more than dozing tonight. But she isnt' moving anyway. AT least she is sleeping now, not prone on her pillow with her ears pressed agaisnt the back of her head and her eyes open adn woeful. I am just sick about the whole business of this. I do not like undoing what a vet has done, but omg, no one is open today, and I know to check every few minutes. At least her toes aren't swelling, but I odn't know what it is like inside of the inside wrap.

Is it possible the splint is too long? Does it have to come up to the exact midpoint of the bone of her elbow? Doesn't seem like it would have to be that long considering the wound is between her wrist and her toes.

 

[Saeleofu]

Is it possible the splint is too long? Does it have to come up to the exact midpoint of the bone of her elbow? Doesn't seem like it would have to be that long considering the wound is between her wrist and her toes.

It looks like it's too long past her toes, and too short up her elbow. Where exactly is the wound, how big is it, and what is the nature of it? The only things I've seen splints used for is broken bones and torn tendons/ligaments.

The splints I've seen have gone TO the bottom of the toes, leaving the toe tips to walk on. Then it extends high enough up to prevent movement in the entire leg.

 

[smkie]

She severed a tendon, and lacerated a major artery. The wound starts at the base of her pad, a little to the left, and runs in a diagonal up the inside of her leg towards that knob I always though of as a false thumb. Not the dew claw. Whatever that thing is called. It was very deep tho tehre just isn't much tissue there, and about 2 inches long. The stitches are out, but she is suppose to wear the splint for about 3 more weeks.

She yanked the leash out of my hand one night going out the door when she saw a raccoon that was very close, she ran over a ceramic bowl which broke and cut her foot like this.

 

[Saeleofu]

I just saw your older thread and read it all. Poor Pepper! The splint needs to be that long because the tendons attach higher up in the leg, and muscle movements higher in the leg still cause those tendons to flex. To feel how it works, put your hand on your forearm and wiggle your fingers - you can feel the muscles moving all the way up to your elbow.

None of those splints look "right" to me, but the green vetwrap one in your other thread looks especially wrong.

 

[smkie]

I wish we could come see you right now. I am just in tears. It's going to be a long night.

 

[smkie]

THat's the one he put on too tight and when I took her back the next morning because her toes look puffy he cut a slit in the foot part of it. By the next morning she was frantic and I was at their office before it opened.

 

[smkie]

ONe hour and 30 minutes left to wait. What a long long night that was. soon as I get home i am sleeping. THere will be no babies, and that is a good thing tho I wish they weren't getting shots today...one hour and 25 minutes. Soon as Hyia goes to school we will leave.