Dog bored after minor op, licks his paws

strandroad

My dog had a superficial op last week and still has a week or so to go before it's fully healed. He can go out for walks but they will be shorter as he still has stitches and his mobility is affected. I keep him from licking them and he took a habit of licking his front paws instead; he also seems to be bored and doesn't like to play with his usual toys. I think he just wants these annoying stitches out as otherwise he's in good spirits and does not seem to be in pain (gets pills for it too).

I don't want him to lick his paws as he may keep the habit, they even start changing colour, but I don't want to keep him in his Elizabethan collar which he hates, apart from for the night. Is there anything I can do - perhaps I can use something on the paws so that the smell/taste is unattractive? Any ideas?

borderlinemeath

Can you give him a kong or another distraction to chew instead? Otherwise I'd be keeping the collar on. You can get the inflatable one which does the same job but is far more comfortable.

strandroad

He does have a kong which he normally loves, but now he will only play with it occasionally... his focus is on the stitches or paws!

borderlinemeath

mhge wrote: »

He does have a kong which he normally loves, but now he will only play with it occasionally... his focus is on the stitches or paws!

And is it stuffed with his favourite treat food? And frozen to last longer? Last time I had to deal with stitches I bought a couple of new toys, I got squeaky fabric ones, Coco's absolute favourite, but I usually never buy them because she shreds them within a week. Moreso to occupy her for a while, wierdly she didn't go near her stitches but was bored stiff under 'house arrest':o

tk123

My dog has been on crate rest twice so some of the things I used/did were - frozen kong with his dinner or some canned food, practice some training games- sits, stays, targeting like getting him to touch your hand, leave it/take it etc For his paws - if you covered them would he leave them alone? If so head to Penneys and get some baby socks with non slip stuff on the bottom so he doesn't end up like Bambi sleeting all over the place You get a few pairs for €2

Stheno

I tend to take the collars off after about three to four days the stitches are well embedded at that stage and no longer itchy

My vet has no problem with me doing this.

strandroad

Thanks guys! I'll try putting some more attractive stuff in the kong then... I use his kibble or dog treats but apparently that's not enough.

I forgot to say that I actually put my old top on him a few times hoping that long narrow sleeves will help but he gets past them... he really is a dog on a mission!

Or it's collar time... hopefully the worst will be over soon...

Stheno

Where are the stitches?

strandroad

His thigh and (smaller) his side, had two lipomas taken off. He's normally a very placid, good-natured guy so the annoyance with them, or the collar is so visible!

Stheno

and what breed/size of a beastie is he?

strandroad

Big yel lab!

Stheno

mhge wrote: »

Big yel lab!

Ah my size of dog (GSD would be my breed in that size range )

Front legs?

strandroad

Hind leg, hence walking/running is limited until it's properly healed as every step stretches the area...

Actually it's quite rare to see a lab so pissed off :cool:

MsQuinn

My friend's dog started licking his paws incessantly once out of the blue. At first they thought it was nothing - cute even. As it happened, he had a foot infection - I think it was after he had been to the vet for something or other.

Could it be a side effect to some of the medication he got after his operation?

Stheno

mhge wrote: »

Hind leg, hence walking/running is limited until it's properly healed as every step stretches the area...

Actually it's quite rare to see a lab so pissed off :cool:

This is not a joke.

If you have friends with small children and they have spare babygros, ask if you can have them, and put them on him, leaves a gap for him to pee.

Otherwise get some old long sleeved tops, and put them on with the head part on his bottom and the arms on his legs, and use that colored bandage that the vets use to tape the arms to beyond where his stitches are.

So like a tshirt back to front.

Make sure they are old though as you will need to change them regularly.

Charity shops have them for cheap.

Has worked for me with an old and incontinent rottie with a back leg wound he wouldn't leave alone.

Apart from the kong have you thought of real bones, or a destruction box??

strandroad

MsQuinn wrote: »

My friend's dog started licking his paws incessantly once out of the blue. At first they thought it was nothing - cute even. As it happened, he had a foot infection - I think it was after he had been to the vet for something or other.

Could it be a side effect to some of the medication he got after his operation?

Possibly, I think it's psychological mostly because he starts doing it every time I stop him from getting at the stitches like some sort of substitute behaviour...
Went to sleep now but tomorrow I'll try to upgrade the kong and invent some plays he won't need to jump/change positions often.

strandroad

Stheno wrote: »

This is not a joke.

If you have friends with small children and they have spare babygros, ask if you can have them, and put them on him, leaves a gap for him to pee.

Otherwise get some old long sleeved tops, and put them on with the head part on his bottom and the arms on his legs, and use that colored bandage that the vets use to tape the arms to beyond where his stitches are.

So like a tshirt back to front.

Make sure they are old though as you will need to change them regularly.

Charity shops have them for cheap.

Has worked for me with an old and incontinent rottie with a back leg wound he wouldn't leave alone.

Apart from the kong have you thought of real bones, or a destruction box??

Excellent, thank you - I tried the top thing already and he just kept working on it until he peeled the sleeves off with his teeth, but I didn't think of taping the ends on! I can see it working, will definitely try it.

He prefers his kong normally over any other snacks or toys so the fact he ignores it now just shows the gravity of the situation

Stheno

mhge wrote: »

Excellent, thank you - I tried the top thing already and he just kept working on it until he peeled the sleeves off with his teeth, but I didn't think of taping the ends on! I can see it working, will definitely try it.

He prefers his kong normally over any other snacks or toys so the fact he ignores it now just shows the gravity of the situation

Treasure hunt in the garden with loads of smelly treats that he can find one at a time and enjoy so not much movement works.

Destruction box, think of it as a series of boxes like Russian dolls and a very smelly and obvious treat inside that he has to find

Will tire him out no end.

Also, there is an ointment for skin call multiderm that the vets have, which is great for helping healing and itching, and dogs hate the taste of it so that might help if you have the cash to spend on it, think it's about 15e a tub so not cheap but helps no end.

edit: forgot to say, take the collar off if you do the clothes thing!

yellowlabrador

one of my old labs has just recovered from a similar operation. I kept the cone on but she was on a mission to destroy it, here she is after 4 days....

https://plus.google.com/photos/112109492043457884023/albums/5809347283005426577?authkey=CITgn_6v4augiQE

On day 6 there was more duct tape than plastic. Luckily she healed really well and was completely recovered 2 weeks later. It was quite a large growth and I was quite worried as she's nearly 13

strandroad

I try to keep the collar off as much as I can, he's so miserable in it during the day - it's big since he is so big and he bounces off the walls etc

Will make him a destruction box too, with the best painkiller we know - bacon!

Great tips, thank you!

strandroad

yellowlabrador wrote: »

On day 6 there was more duct tape than plastic. Luckily she healed really well and was completely recovered 2 weeks later. It was quite a large growth and I was quite worried as she's nearly 13

Yes, that's the thing - the vet had to stretch the skin to cover the area so its tautness must cause discomfort. Good to know that they can heal well and quickly! Love your username

Stheno

There are alternatives to the e collar too that you could try?

strandroad

It was back to his collar and bed confinement yesterday as inflammation appeared and trip to the vets did not help with healing... Looks like he needs a forced rest to heal properly Luckily he cooperates and looks like he decided to sleep it through. Good boy.