Hi all,

Not really sure what I am hoping for here, maybe some advice, maybe to give a heads up to others. I have a beautiful 4 month old Bull Terrier who has been coming along really well. On Saturday evening she was hiding and playing under the table, my daughter picked her up to get her into her crate and she launched herself out of her arms and onto the carpet. She yelped so I gave her a good check over but there was nothing obvious by the way of damage. On Sunday she was really lame so we took her to the vets who manipulated her foot, toes etc and said there was nothing broken and put her on anti-inflammatorys. By the Monday her toes were completely flat so we took her back and the vet said to give it another few days on the A-I's. Today we have been to a specialist referral unit as despite there being improvement meaning she is now not lame, her toes are still flat rather than arched like her other front foot. I am truly gutted, the surgeon has told us that there is nothing that can be done, that surgery on the digital flexor tendons is rarely successful and that actually as it has been a week almost, the scar tissue will have already started to form and there is nothing that can be done. It will not affect her welfare moving forwards, she can still run, jump play etc but cosmetically she now has one perfect front foot and one that is completely flat. It will not apparently affect her movement or give her any problems with joints etc but I am devastated. I am obviously relieved that she is not in pain and that it will not affect her long term but totally gutted with regards the fact that I probably now cant show her, which I was very much looking forward to. Anyway I guess I am just saying, please be careful picking these gorgeous little monsters up. They are so strong and it just takes one jump/fall to do damage that is irreparable. If of course anyone does have any advice, my ears are well and truly open.

Gosh I'm sorry to hear about your pup.

> that surgery on the digital flexor tendons is rarely successful

wish someone had told me that. My collie dislocated her superficial digital flexor tendon several years ago, my vets told me it had to be repaired, this involved a long journey to an orthopaedic specialist, an overnight stay for her, a huge bill for me, 6 weeks strict rest and the tendon dislocated again soon after.

She damaged hers running and twisting to fetch her ball, so don't blame your daughter, sometimes these things just happen and we can't plan for it or guard against it. My girl is now 7 and very active but she does occasionally limp on that leg - just a slight limp not the complete holding the leg up she did when it happened.

It always surprises me how much information can differ and also how much money comes into it. I have a comprehensive insurance plan so told the specialist I would do whatever needed to be done but he said it was pointless. I was hoping that they would be able to do something to tighten the tendons again as it is all toes not just one but he said no. She basically has no arch on her toes at all now, it looks like her knuckles have collapsed. She still has to rest for the next few weeks to ensure no further damage is done. My daughter is so upset but it was an accident and we will have to learn from it. :(