Any ideas for wrapping a dog's leg

I was trying to come up with ideas to help out my partner's dog over the last couple of weeks of her life. She is a 16 year old lab cross that is under continual veterinary care (likely a good reason she has made it to 16!).

While she has had a long and happy life, the decision has been made that it is time for us to put her down as her hind end has lost almost all strength and her arthritis is severe. She is on medication for the pain but the pain is starting to break through the medication.

In any event, we want to give her some relief from the buster collar that she has had to wear almost continually for the past several months. Despite best efforts by us and the vet, we cannot stop her from licking and working a spot on her front leg until it becomes massively infected (she does this within a day or two if she does not have the collar on). The vet suspects the reason she is so obsessed with this spot is that she has a growth under the skin which both bothers her a little bit and releases endorphines when licked. We had a similar growth removd on her paw and it resolved the issue, however, given that this one is so close to the artery, it was not an option.

We have tried wrapping the leg instead of making her wear the collar with mixed results in the past. With just gauze and vet wrap her paw will swell and she will also tear through it after a while. We tried a splint devised by the vet but she slides it down and works the spot plus she has trouble walking with the splint.

I am wondering if I can try wrapping her similar to how I used to wrap my horses using wrap without stretch to avoid the swelling plus, with the thicker padding and wrap, she may not get the release of the endorphines that she is seeking to trigger. Has anyone tried this and, if so, was there any success? Any tips? Does anyone have any alternate ideas that either the vet or we have not thought of? For the record, Bitter Apple Spray works for about 30 minutes before she is at it again. She likes the taste of hot sauce!

Thanks in advance for any input.

If she doesnt move aroung much maybe loosly wrap the whole leg with pad and no pressure

I know the feeling I have had to make the same decsion with my ghetto shepherd

I am sorry your going through this tough time! 16 is awesome! Maybe put a sock on her foot and tape it off ?

Cindy

Have you tried spraying the bandage with bitter apple?

not sure if it would work but what about a sock with the foot cut off then to keep it lightly in place with vet wrap at both ends. Then putting a long sleeve t-shirt on her. You could cut the arm of the shirt off of the leg that doesn't bother her and trim the bottom of the shirt so it's not to long and in the way. The sock underneath would give a little padding.

Just an idea that came to mind.

:grouphug:to all

Have you tried spraying the bandage with bitter apple?

Total saturation, trust me!

Then putting a long sleeve t-shirt on her. You could cut the arm of the shirt off of the leg that doesn't bother her and trim the bottom of the shirt so it's not to long and in the way.


This just might be the ticket! I will definitely be trying the long T over top tonight. I might sew a sock to the bottom or inside to make a whole leg.

Thank you everyone!

I have seen ads for soft type E collars that seem to be alot more comfortable and less stressful for the dog. One was a rolled type collar, you might have to do abit of searching around for something similar, or you could actually make something like it from a rolled towel or foam if you're handy. By the sounds of it a barrier method might be your only recourse for this dog. I found this one that looks good, but I know there are others out there. Good luck. :fingerscr

http://www.bonafido.com/page6.html

Here is another one I found. There are alot of alternatives that seem to make for happier dogs....even inflatable e-collars. Just do some searching and you might find something.

http://www.bitenot.com/index.html