Toe update

Tess Update:  I confess, I've been living dangerously.

Tess, my border collie, you may recall, was diagnosed Monday with a broken toe, an injury she most likely got while playing fetch last weekend. A visit to the vet landed her in what is nearly a full-leg splint plus a "cone," one of those plastic contraptions that fits around the head and is designed to keep dogs from reaching wounds or bandages in areas that need to be left alone to heal.

So, now the "dangerous" part. I've been leaving the cone off Tess when I go to work for the past couple days because she's been so good about leaving her leg alone. She was entirely miserable wearing the thing, but I knew it was a calculated risk.

Well, when I came home Thursday, I found she'd rediscovered her cast. She now has what looks like dangling, tattered rags, frayed tape and random pieces of cloth hanging from her leg. A tuft of cotton bulges out in one spot, although the foot portion is still well encased.  

So some "tough love" via the cone is back.

The cast/splint is still more or less intact so I decided not to take her back to the vet just yet. We have a Monday morning appointment for a re-do of the splint, anyway. It'll hold until then, I think, as long as I put the cone on so she can do no more damage. I leave it off only when I'm home to supervise and at night when she's sleeping.

A number of things I've read on the web say a dog's broken toe will generally heal on its own, most of the time. My vet told me that also, but he feels the splint is the best way to ensure no further complications.

(For readers unfamiliar with "the cone," the photo at right -- which is NOT Tess, she so far refuses to be photographed wearing hers -- shows a random dog wearing one.)

Generally Tess's spirits are up (or they were before I put the cone back on her). She's still doing squirrel patrol in the backyard with Cowboy and gallops through the house with her distinctive ka-thump, now going at a very fast pace for a dog with a broken toe. They say you should keep them "quiet," but I'm not sure how that can be done with an otherwise healthy border collie.

Here's a special thanks to our great readers: Josh's sister has offered to loan me a softer version of the traditional cone she used for her dog Cosmo, so that might be a bit more comfortable -- assuming it fits and provides enough of a barrier to keep Tess from reaching her front leg. Of course, Josh says that means I am now obligated contribute a pie to their family Thanksgiving dinner this year.

And blog readers SanPedroDogs and Rebecca, Reilly's mom, also suggested some alternatives on the market now that I think may be worth checking out.

Much thanks to all of you.

Related posts: Limping through the weekend; Tess's toe