# Sliver in the boys paw



## trevor1000 (Sep 20, 2013)

Well Bacchus has a sliver in the pad of his paw. I can't get the bugger out. Going on day 3 now. It. Is obviously bothering him. Any tips on getting it out? Tired an Epsom salt warm paste to try and draw it out. Just can't get ahold of it with the tweezers. 😐


----------



## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

Aww, poor boy! I would keep soaking his foot in warm water with epsom salt or making the paste like you have been and maybe gently rubbing on some sort of conditioner like badger balm or musher's secret to make the pad more supple. 

I've also read about soaking in white vinegar for 30 minutes before pulling out with tweezers, but I'm doubtful how well that'll work on a vizsla.


----------



## trevor1000 (Sep 20, 2013)

Thanks for the reply. Ya we have been soaking it and soaking it. Hardest part is keeping him off of it. I'm hopeing it will work it's way out but it is in a spot on his pad that gets all the pressure when he is standing. I don't want to take him to the vet. Yet


----------



## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Do you know what the sliver is made of? If it's metal try a magnet.


----------



## trevor1000 (Sep 20, 2013)

i'd say wood
He hasn't had access to anywhere the he could have a steel one.
My wife can see the black end but we cant get the tweezers on it.
ill give it a day or 2 of soaking and such and see if it comes out enough to pull out.


----------



## trevor1000 (Sep 20, 2013)

now that i think about it, its probably a small thorn or something.
i took him for a long run in a field and it was the next morning i noticed.


----------



## cuddlebuglove (Apr 27, 2014)

Please take him to the Vet, none of us here want him to suffer or get a bad infection. 

Please keep us informed. Thank you.


----------



## trevor1000 (Sep 20, 2013)

Well he isn't suffering and it isn't infected.


----------



## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

A small infection can sometimes be a good thing. You can use it to push the sliver out. I've used hydrogen peroxide to keep a puncture open and draining. 

I've also heard of a thorn turning bad. June's littermate had one that vets couldn't find. Keep getting infectioned and had to remove a plug from the toe. They were almost at the point of removing a toe before they got it.


----------



## trevor1000 (Sep 20, 2013)

Its a real bugger.
I am going to soak it again tonight and try again
My kids are off and home in the mornings
He has been his sleepy self during the day so he hasn't been on it much this morning and he will be in his crate for the afternoon.
If I do need to take him to the vet there will be no problem finding it, I know exactly where it is.
I just can't get it, and he is being so good.

Anyone ever use Silicea (Silicic Acid)?
MTF


----------



## trevor1000 (Sep 20, 2013)

Well we decided to not poke around much more and leave it for a day.
He seemed to not be favoring it as much
Better and better the last 2 days
Not swollen, red, or sore.
I'd say I got it out or it made its way out.


----------



## trevor1000 (Sep 20, 2013)

Part 2
Well after a week or so Bacchus started to favor his paw again
The one pad seemed a bit red but not too bad.
He was licking it thought more than normal so I knew it was bugging him.
Looked like he had a scratched or slightly torn web.
Soaked it again and rubbed it a bit over the last couple days
Looking a bit infected and swollen now, but then my wife finally found a thorn that was between his 2 pads into the side of the paw, pulled it out and it was about 1 cm long.
So, He had 2 initially in the same paw. one we knew about originally that was directly in the bottom of his paw which we got out and he was fine.
The second one didn't start to bother him until it got swollen and infected.
Swelling is already going down and it isn't looking as red
Worst case now if it doesn't get better is some anti-biotic to get rid of the infection.
Best case is that he is good to go.
Whew, Grouse season starts on the 20th.


----------



## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

had a blackthorn in my boy's paw once,,oh, my human boy that is ..x rays at hospital said there was nothing there even though it kept pussing up. Evevtually I saw something about 2mm in diameter just below the skin/tissue, so we gave it a squeeze and this came out after 3 weeks of being there


----------



## trevor1000 (Sep 20, 2013)

that is a big one
i think this just proves that "we" know our kids and kid dogs better than anyone.
Sometimes acting on a gut feeling rather than ignoring it is best.
Who cares if it is over the top and you are eventually wrong.
All it takes is one time being right and there is no better feeling than knowing you were right all along
thanks for sharing


----------

