Interdigital cyst nightmare :o(

hi i have just joined the site to see if anyone can offer some advise. ok so i have got an 8 year old jack x border collie her name is bonnie and since june 2010 she has had 2 operations on a cyst between her toe and she has been on loads of courses of antibiotics and steroids at the moment she is on 1/2 a steroid every other day and the cyst has stayed away, but today i noticed she has got a cyst on the other foot, so i done some research online and i have put her on sillica and epsom salt soak and a surgical spirit and boiled water with salt in a spray bottle i started this today, many sites are from the us and the drugs they recommend are not the same as we use over here, so if anyone has had a success with medication in the uk that i could surgest to my vet would be a great help, thanks in advance x

Hello, and oh how I sympathise with you and your dog!

We have a rescue Jack Russell who from day 1 has had problems with cysts (and sore feet) between his toes. He too has had endless antibiotics, plus one operation to lance an abscess that developed beyond any other help.

He was on salt baths for ages, but they didn't work too well to be honest, and it was a constant trail backwards and forwards to the vet.

Two months ago, a different vet saw him and she suggested bathing his paws in Hibiscrub twice a day. (A solution of roughly 1 part Hibiscrub in 50 parts water). I am touching wood here, but since doing that we have not had any trouble. I do one of the foot baths immediately after walking...and I will not be stopping it any time soon!

thanks for that i've got a bottle of hibiscrub maybe i will try that i've spent over £700 so far with operations, x ray, and drugs but to be fair the vet is now only charging me what the drugs cost and no consultation fee im taking her every 2 weeks, someone said about a tyroid test ? i've got to take my other dog to the vets tomorrow she had to have 2 toe nails cut really short because she split them just as well i got her insured after all the problems i had with bonnie

Anything is worth a try in these situations isn't it. It is so frustrating to spend a fortune and get absolutely nowhere. My dog has food allergies as well, and the vet is not sure whether the cysts are linked to that or totally separate........what he has said though, is that they are always likely to recur. Still, the Hibiscrub is doing what nothing else has achieved so far.

You sound like a lovely caring owner, and I hope that you find a simple cheap solution.

i have got 3 dogs and 5 cats and no children they are my babies and they are very spoilt, i bought her an orthopidic memory foam bed from pets at home today because she has got arthritis and i had noticed she was a bit stiff but when i got home with it is when i noticed the new cyst and thats why shes been limping but she does love her new bed lol they have got the biggest plastic bed u can get in the kitchen they get shut in there when we go to work but they have got a dog flap so they can go in and out when they want which is great in the summer because they spend most of the day outside then they have got a 2 seater sofa in the living room and a bed on the floor for when the fire is on lol and dont even get me started on the cats i think they might be more spoilt

I love it!!!

Hmmmmm, *now wonders whether vet bed is enough........makes mental note to check out memory foam bedding

to be honest well worth the money at pets at home i got an xtra large £29.99 and an extra cover £9.99 but the smaller ones are cheaper and you can get extra covers

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/memor...-at-home-37299

Just had a quick look.....they are not available for home delivery for some reason, and our nearest store is Hereford so may have to pop in there soon!

Anyway, back to your toe cysts.......do try the Hibiscrub because it cannot harm but just might do the trick.

yeah will do thanks x

E thyroid tests. Skin problems can be a symptom. Our older girl no longer with us, had terrible bother with skin problems & especially her feet. Once hypothyroidism was diagnosed & treatment started, her skin problems cleared up

If you decide to go that route tell your vet to do the TSH, T3 & T4 tests.