Paws and Toes
I posted on twitter a couple of days ago about Kim trotting – or limping, actually! – off to the vets. I didn’t have chance to post a proper update, but since people have asked, here we go!
Kim has always had a slightly dodgy toe on her right front paw. I’ve had a few off-hand conversations with various people over the years about it; my feeling was always that she’d injured it as a puppy, maybe a dislocation, and as she’d grown it had become slightly lopsided. The webbing between her toes there sometimes gets a little red and sore, but nothing to really get worried about. It’s always been a bit of a niggle in my mind, but nothing ever worth bringing up.
On Monday, she grew a little lump, about the size of a small pea, just at the point where her foot becomes toes, if that makes sense! Quite hard, not sore, but clearly irritating her. I think the “lump” part got some people a bit worried, considering her previous lump-ectomy, but actually my first thought was that it was a foriegn body of some kind that had worked it’s way under her skin.
Vet trip on Tuesday confirmed foreign body, although the lump had vanished by this point (naturally. Kim will do anything to avoid a vet trip!) We agreed that getting it out was the best option, and booked Kim in for a day trip on Wednesday.
Incidentally, whilst at the vets, we asked (as always!) that they check out her heart. Report was good; strong, clear and steady heartbeat. The murmur is distinctly there, but her heart sounds healthy and strong. Also asked about the toe (see above!) and Andy said it was an old injury, and that he felt it was probably a stretched tendon that had healed lopsided.
Kim toodled off for her day trip; light anesthetic expected as it was really just to keep her still. First anesthetic didn’t quite go to plan, since Kim drifted off to sleep and then proceeded to sprint around in her dreams, with much paw flailing. Second, slightly heavier anesthetic required! At least she made everyone laugh, she does love being the centre of attention.
They took out what can only be described (apparently!) as a “lump of gristle”, that was much bigger than expected. FB had probably been there for 11-12months (coincidentally the same time as her previous lump appeared. Connection or no? Genuinely have no idea). So Kim has 10 stitches in her paw and a giant bandage on it, and is sprinting around like an idiot until she thinks someone is watching, at which point it’s heavy limping all the way.
She’d like to point out she definitely wasn’t playing with Alfie the Giant Greyhound on Thursday, she just had to jump in the air to show him her paw.