Zak and the grass seed - Advice Needed Please!!

[suzieq]

From my previous thread about antibiotics and silica some of you will know that zak was at the vets tuesday morning and diagnosed as having an infected grass seed entry site on his paw with no sign of the grass seed
so he was put on antibiotics for 5 days,along with warm foot baths to clear infection ad try to draw grass seed out. Otherwise we could be looking at an op I've also started him on silica yesterday.
my question- 3 days into the antibiotics and he still won't put any weight on his foot at all. He is going round on three legs. He doesn't really want to do anything except curl up in his crate. He's eating and drinking fine tho.
 Is this normal or should he be able to put his foor down now
Should i just see how things o or have another word with vet

Really dont want to go for surgery unless we absolutely have to.

This is a first for us, we've had grass seeds in and out of their ears, in their armpits and even up striders nose but never one in the foot so i really don't know what to expect
This is his paw after i've bathed it in warm water

[MegandMolly]

I'd give the vet a ring as he's not weight bearing on that foot yet.
Hope he's better soon xx

[jools]

Zac's paw looks exactly like bramble's was this time last year. She has the op but the vet couldn't find anything. Four months later, the seed migrated up her leg and she faced another op. Luckily, Helen suggested silica and the seed popped out of her leg after about 4 days on the tablets.

If I were you I'd stick with the silica - giving it at a different time of day as the antibiotics. Keep cleaning the site and give it a gentle squeeze if he'll let you to see if the seed's been brought to the surface.

One day isn't long enough for the silica to work.....stick with it.

[suzieq]

Have used silica successfully with strider so quite happy to stick with it
but what's bothering me most is the fact he won't put any weigh on that foot at all

[kalami]

That looks sore - poor thing

Whats silica?

[suzieq]

It's a homeopathic remedy ' for the expulsion of foreign bodies', hopefully in zaks case the dreaded grass seed
(There'l be other people on here who can tell you more about it - i just know its worked like magic with strider )

[kalami]

Where do you buy it?

[Helen]

Kalami, you can buy the human version (which is fine for dogs) at boots or any health food shop


suzieq that looks really painful    what anti-b's is he on?  maybe they're just not working for him.  They wouldn't operate until the infection has gone anyway so if you needed to take him back to the vet's you could.

What are you bathing his foot in?

[jools]

3 days is a long time, right enough. As you say, Helen, maybe he needs stronger / different ones.

I bathed brammie's paw in warm salt water. has Zac got a buster collar on? Bramble had one for a while because the vet recommended keeping the wound open rather than dressing it.

Hope he's better soon. His listlessness does suggest that the infection's bothering him, wee soul.

[suzieq]

He's on Noroclav - twice a day.
Have been bathing it in warm water.

[suzieq]

No jools he doesn't have a buster collar.
Maybe i should put salt in the water? the vet just said 'as hot as he can take'to draw the seed out - bit like a poltice?
he certainly isn't his usual self, couldn't even jump on he sofa last night

[jools]

No jools he doesn't have a buster collar.
Maybe i should put salt in the water? the vet just said 'as hot as he can take'to draw the seed out - bit like a poltice?
he certainly isn't his usual self, couldn't even jump on he sofa last night

Hmmm....I'd be tempted to get him a buster collar; the wound will be too tempting for him not to lick and his saliva could make the wound worse. 

I was told to use one teaspoon of salt to one pint of hot water.

[Helen]

how about using epsom salts in the bath or making an  epsom salt poultice (i think you can do that quite simply with epsom salts, oat flakes or bran and some warm water to bind it all together - tis used widely for horses to draw out inflammation and infection )

also if you have any aloe gel then you could put that on the wound as well (I have a plant, it's ugly but brilliant  )

[suzieq]

Thanks Helen, don't have either but will get both tomorrow and give them a try.
will i get aloe gel in boots do you think?
He is not a happy boy this afternoon, refusing to come out of his crate at all

[Helen]

Thanks Helen, don't have either but will get both tomorrow and give them a try.
will i get aloe gel in boots do you think?
He is not a happy boy this afternoon, refusing to come out of his crate at all

hmmmm could be a vet visit coming up - the infection may have spread.  He's obviously not happy 

give the vets a call and see what they say, they may change his anti-b's or give him an anti-b jab. He may have a temp too and be a bit dehydrated.