Foot survey

Just for interest has anyone had a dog who has had swollen front feet (possible arthritis) and if so what breed and how old when noticed. What sort of life style did the dog have----lots of rushing around jumping etc, ball chasing, agility, flyball.

I'll explain later if anyone is interested but I don't want to put ideas into anyones heads first----if you see what I mean!

Equally as interested in second hand anecdotes and also if you have lots of dogs and have never had a similar problem.

Thanks
rune

I haven't experienced swollen feet through arthritis, but I have had collies where as they get older they become flat foot with age, apparantly according to the specialist Reah is under this is common with collies due to the amount of exercise they do...ie the running up and down I think he means....Im sure it happens with other breeds too with a similar life style.
I have seen swollen joints on collies when arthritis sets in though

i know why

nope none of my dogs have ever hand swollen feet(hope ive not jinxed it now) even my mad dog that broke most his toes at different points throughout his life.

What is he specialising in? Have any of the collies been tested to find out what kind of arthritis it is?

Thanks

rune

Yet your breeds are running breeds. Interesting. One woulkd expect foxhounds etc to get it as well if it was not genetic?

Groping around here rather.

rune

He's Senior Partner (Orthopaedic specialist) at Willows referrel centre. He was the guy that put Reah together again, so her arthritis is all related to the amount and the seriousness of how the bones were broken.
I took her as her one 'flat foot' is remarkabley noticeable and is her good leg if you can call it good...lets say its the better one of the 4 I did wonder whether the tendon could be tightened in some way, which I would of willingly had done, but sadly it can not, however he has said that a company in America can make her a brace to hold the tendon in place...which is a interesting thought
But he did confirm that alot of collies as they reach older age they do have this problem. If she hadn't of been involved in the accident that she was, then I wouldn't be so bothered as her other 3 feet are good (at the mo) its mainly just that she has enough problems with her walking, so I want to make things easier for her in her later years and obviously she does have arthritis in several joints now too again the aftermath of the injuries

Could you take a picture of her foot please----has it been x rayed?

thanks

rune

Tilly's foot doesn't look swollen, I don't know if it was a sprain or strain, but she did start limping when getting up from laying down - particulary if it's been raining.
The vet had a feel last week & said we would just keep an eye on it. I haven't noticed her do it as much, maybe once or twice this week - but then it hasn't been raining.
I was worried in case it is arthiritis.
She is 2 years old collie x breed, she has a very active 30 min chase the ball run once or twice a day on the fields & an ambling along walk. (not much pavement walking)

Yes sure.....no its not been X-rayed

Poppy, my 7 year old Dalmatian hasn't had swollen feet as such but she does have a hard lump on her front right foot and has been diagnosed with arthritis in both her front feet.
I first took her to the vet as I noticed the hard lump on the top of her foot. She was booked in for a biopsy but when the vet took xrays the bones looked fuzzy and he decided not to do the biopsy as there were no clean edges to the bones and he couldn't be sure that the biopsy needle would be in the right place. He then xrayed her other feet. The back ones were normal but both front feet are affected. He sent the xrays to be looked at by a specialist orthopaedic vet and he concluded that it is digital osteoarthritis and the hard lump is bony overgrowth on the toe joint. The toe joint that is most effected hardly moves now, it's almost completely fused. The vet says thats a good thing as if the joint doesn't move it won't cause as much pain. She does take Tramadol twice a day for pain relief. I give her 2 about half an hour before our walks.
She hasn't taken part in any agility or anything like that. Just 2 walks a day about an hour or so each time.

I would be very interested to know your reasons for asking.