My yorkie puppy has a paw defect. Is toe amputation necessary?

Hello. Without x-rays it is impossible to know what is actually going on in the paw. It is difficult to say if this will bother her more as she matures, but you really do not have too many options. Perhaps a surgery to fuse & stabilize the paw may be helpful, but will not eliminate all pain & discomfort & you certainly would not amputate the leg unless she began to self-mutilate the paw. So, unless you can have the paw x-rayed, I would take a wait & see how she does. If she over does it when you play with her, then make sure she rests the leg. Otherwise, I would try to avoid pain relieves in such a young dog. Perhaps, once her bones are finished growing & maturing, she may actually do quite well. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

The problem with a bacterial infection that does not respond to antibiotics is that the infection can spread to other areas of Zula's body. It will not resolve on it's own, and it can get worse. You can see if there is another antibiotic that the bacteria may respond to, but if it doesn't amputation may be the best option. A dog can live a normal life without one of their toes. I'm sorry, it sounds like you are in a tough position, hope this advice helps you :-)

It would be incredibly difficult to do anything about broken bones in such a young puppy. It looks from the second picture that it did heal, but not in the proper alignment. We would need a new x-ray to determine what is going on now. Kenji is likely a perfectly adoptable puppy now, but depending on what the bones did while healing, he is at an increased risk of developing arthritis in that foot earlier than he would from simple old age. It's just something to watch every year at his annual checkup.

Hello, thank you for your question about Dean. Based on the results from the radiographs I would concur that amputation of that toe would be a reasonable option. If the toe/joint is unstable and already showing changes consistent with arthritis these changes will continue to progress. With progressive changes it is likely that Dean will become more painful over time. Amputation of a single digit is usually very well tolerated in dogs. Most veterinarians are comfortable with this type of surgical procedure. However, you could consult with a veterinary surgeon if needed. Hope this helps, good luck!

Dogs do get malignant nail bed tumors. This area does look angry and it certainly could be a malignant tumor. If you wish to be cautious you can get a second opinion from a veterinary oncologist or another veterinarian. It's difficult to get a good sample from this area so your veterinarian is correct to recommend a toe amputation. Since Hailey is young there is a chance that this is an infection also. You could try a course of antibiotics for a couple of weeks to see if it heals. If the mass continues to enlarge then I would definitely remove the toe as if it's a malignant melanoma they do spread and it could go into her lungs which is a life threatening condition. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Hailey.

Hello. Make sure that there is no hair caught in the nail bed & make sure none of the toe nails are broken, cracked or growing into the paw pad(s). If this looks OK, then the next step is to have your veterinarian evaluate Little Mama to see if this is a soft tissue problem like a sprain or ACL tear, a bone problem like a fracture, bone spur or arthritis, or possibly even a neoplastic issue. Rest her as much as possible until you can have her seen by your veterinarian. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. It is hard to tell how this pup might do as it grows. If there are no pads, & the pup has to walk basically on just skin, this can definitely cause pain & lameness, even with the intact metacarpal pad. If he manages just to walk on this, he may be comfortable, but I would imagine his gait will be off or awkward. In the long term, he may do really well wearing a protective boot on the foot. Only time will tell. An x-ray of the foot may give more information. And yes. This defect in various forms, happens in many breeds. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.