Pitiful Pup - Friday Update

[bluepinecones]

Nicky and I have been dog sitting his friend for about a week now. The two were out joyfully playing in back yard when Nicky got hurt. Not sure how it happened but he ripped an entire nail off - pulled out at base. Hurts me to even think about it. I've searched the whole area but cannot find anything that might have done that. My best guess is he either caught it in a crack on the paved path or in the fence alone perimeter.
He's been at vet all day but home now. His friend doesn't understand why he won't play any more (she will be here for another day as her person is in New Orleans). Anyway the vet has cleaned and bandaged his foot plus giving him a couple of shots. He keeps giving me this pitiful look for help and it just breaks my heart that he is in pain.
We had a beautiful weather day today but rain starting in the morning and going for next 4 days. Vet says important to keep the bandage dry when he goes out to potty. If anyone has suggestions on how to accomplish that, please let me know. The only thing I can think of is to try to put his leg in a plastic bag but not sure how to keep it attached. Here's a couple of pixs of the bandage.

[VickieP]

Poor Nicky. He's got that pity me look on his sad little face.

[Getupngo]

Oh, he does have that "whaddya done to me?" look. Poor baby.

I'd double a plastic sandwich bag (cut off the zip-locks) and secure it with that same both-sides-sticky-ace-bandage-type-tape that the doc uses when they take blood samples. You can pick that up at Walgreens or any other drug store, I'm sure.

Duct tape also works.

[AlmostThere]

Sorry he got hurt, but you did a good thing to get him vet checked. Poor baby.

[Forestgal]

If all you're planning to do is let him out to go potty, a ziplock will work just fine. I had the same problem with my first Lab. She ripped a toenail completely off and it eventually took surgery to get it to heal. Until then she was in a bandage and could only go outside to potty. I just used a heavy-duty sandwich-sized bag and stuck it on when she went out. Kept everything dry and clean. Good luck. Hope it heals well.

Laura

[mitch5252]

..

Look at that face in the second picture. It's so pitiful. Poor Nicky. Lucky he has a good Mommy to take care of him.
And I love the way his bandage matches his collar. Such a fashion maven!

I hope he'll be up and about in no time...

..

[retiredhappy]

Poor baby. Did they give you some pain pills for him? I agree with the plastic baggie and duct tape.

[BirdbyBird]

Dear Nicki,

Sorry to hear about your Bo Bo. I know that you recently had an episode of not feeling well and this all coming at once just does not seem fair. Especially when your Hooman is depending on you to get her out in the spring will be here soon, sunshine. Good luck and I here is hoping that the foot heals up soon. (But it sure is fun to romp and play with friends with out a worry in the world. It could happen to any of us!) Stuff happens.....

Love, Herschel

[Redetotry]

Big hugs for you both! Hope it heals up fast!

[Nasoosie]

Molly sends hugs, and hopes you heal up fast!

A ziplock held on with tape for pees and poops outside will work just fine-----I've used many of them over the ages with my various dogs with injured feet.

Good that the doc fixed you up and gave you some shots for infection protection!

Good work, substitute Ma!

[bluepinecones]

Nicky got bandages off for now (will leave off if I can keep him from licking foot too much). Vet said foot is looking good under circumstances but it will be very tender for quite a while. He is still on pain meds and and couple of other pills. Thank goodness for those pill pocket thingies! He is still not putting the foot down to walk but that is understandable. He's a tough little guy. Goes back for recheck in a week.

[BirdbyBird]

What a brave brave Nicki. Hopefully he won't lick his foot.

[VickieP]

So glad Nicky is doing better, it will take time.

I got some of those pill thingys when I was at PetSmart last week. They were kinda expensive so I won't use them for Weatherby's happy pills twice a day, but instead, I'll use them for both boys monthly Sentinel pills.

[bluepinecones]

The pill pockets are a little pricey; think I paid about $7 or $8 for a pack of 30 or 35 pockets. However I have never found anything else that works as well and so far have not lost any expensive pills (happened frequently wen I was trying to wrap them in other foods). If the pills are small you might be able to get more mileage by cutting the pockets in half.

[avalen]

glad Nicky is healing up and will be back to normal in no time.
I must say though, that I've posted on this thread already and its gone. I posted
on some others too and the post went out into cyberspace. So sorry.