Hello.  Wanted to share our story.  We adopted Buddy, a yellow lab, through the Humane Society.  We'd been looking for a 2nd dog, as our dog Max, is 14 (he has since been diagnosed with liver cancer), and he fits into our home just right! 

Buddy'd come into rescue with his front right paw the size of a pancake, we were told.  He had a puncture wound on the bottom of his paw and was missing part of the pad.  The wound site was almost closed, and we only needed to wrap it to keep dirt and such out.  When I took him to our local vet for the first check-up home, they suggested surgery to remove all the scar tissue.  He ended up needing two surgeries.  The after-care was overwhwelming at times, but he was a trooper, as were my kids (10 and 11), who helped soak his foot, change the dressings, take him out on a leash, and keep him quiet (he wasn't supposed to move much, so he could heal.)

The wound has never healed, and we recently went to a specialist for a 2nd opinion.  She, too, said this wasn't looking good.  It's a fistula — a drainage tract with a foreign object somewhere in Buddy's foot or leg.  She can inject dye into the tract to see if she can find the object (she said this has worked 2 out of 20 times in her 16 years of experience), then operate to remove it.  If the dye does not identify the object, she can do an exploratory surgery to find the object, but the fistula often returns.  Or a new one forms.  The next step is amputation.

We are currently waiting for our vet to get back from vacation and make his recommendation.  As I type, Buddy is asleep on the bed.  He is on an antibiotic, as the site is infected.  He is also on a pain med PRN.  He wears a cute little boot when we go out, but overall he is stoic and doesn't let it bother him — he's a typical lab and great family dog.

So thankful for this forum.  So if we do need to amputate, I know Buddy will be alright!

Thanks–

Welcome! I hope you get answers soon, so that Buddy can be on the mend. Please keep us posted, and would love to see a picture of Buddy. We have our paws crossed for you, too. Sending you lots of golden hugs…

Cathy

Talked to the vet today, and he suggested amputation.  He said partial — not all the way to his scapula.  Do you all have links to pics of dogs with this type of amputation?

Also, I'd be happy to share pictures of Buddy.  But I don't know how to change my profile pic.  Please advise.  Thanks!

Thanks for the help, all.  As you can see, I did figure out how to change my avatar with your assistance.

Hi!  We've had Buddy since January, and he's been healing from surgeries or infections pretty much all the time.  But he is the best dog ever!  Sweet, quiet, calm, loves to cuddle, great with the kids, great with Max.  He loves tennis balls and all stuffed and squeaky toys.  And my family took him swimming while I worked one weekend, and he loved that.  I can't wait to see it!  (I really wanted a swimming dog — Max hates the water.)

Max is doing great.  His prognosis was grim — it sounded like days or weeks, but he is doing well after more than a month and a half after diagnosis.  We switched him to canned food, which he ADORES.  He pants a lot more and sleeps a bit more but otherwise doesn't seem any different than his lazy self (he is 14!) Max came to live with us from a shelter when he was around 1.  He was horrible!  And I loved him the more for it.  We went through lots of obedience training, and he is the best dog ever.  (Wait.  I said that about Buddy.  )  He's been with me through it all — marriage, adopting my (human) kids, moving cross-country, Buddy, etc.  

Buddy and I have Round 2 of Obedience School tonight.  We completed Round 1, and he did well, but he needs more socialization, and I need more practice with him.  It's a fun activity for me, and he seems to enjoy it.

Thanks for all the kind welcomes!!

Erica