Hi there,
I am really worried about my 41/2 mo. old boxer pup, Daisy Jones.
She has been going to the vet once a week for 4 weeks for what they thought was a nail bed infection. Well, NOW they have kept her in to give her a general to Xray her toe,foot to see what's up because they don't know why it has not gotten better with all the antibiotics.
I am not happy about this. Is it typical? Why was it not Xrayed sooner and WHY a general? How about a sedative? I am terrified of generals and there is always that horrible, awful chance that...
Please, any info?
Best,
Megan

Hi Megan

It is quite normal for a vet to treat a condition as he sees it before involving lots of money that may be unnecessary.

If it had been a nail bed infection which would have cleared up quickly with antibiotics you might have been upset if they had gone straight in with a GA and x-rays.

If she is very calm and quite they may elect to give her a sedative instead of a general but she does need to remain absolutely still so they can take the minimum of shots and subject her to a little radiation as possible.

I hope they find something that they can treat

Let us know how Daisy gets on

Christine

I agree with Christine. I theory, the antibiotics should have cleared up a nail bed infection and as they haven't, then the next option is an x-ray to see if there is a foreign object present. I very much doubt a 4.5 month old boxer is going to keep still long enough to take an x-ray and if she should move, she could really injure herself. It is my understanding that if they use a general anaesthetic and something starts to go wrong, they can then administer something that will reverse the anaesthetic FAST, whereas if the dog is sedated they can not. Megan, if you are really worried talk to your vet about it. There are 'lighter' anaesthetics that can be given that are slightly more expensive, but you need to sound him out about it. Good luck

Yes that's very true. Dogs given a general are also breathing pure oxygen with the airway kept open and wired up to monitors which pick up immediately if there is any heart problems etc... whereas sedated dogs are breathing air on their own.

Hi Megan
I totally understand your concern about the anaesthetic but try not to worry too much. To get a good x-ray, Daisy would need to be as still as possible and I don't think a sedative would have been enough.
My pup recently had two teeth extracted and had leg x-rays done at the same time. When I collected him he walked out of the recovery room like a brave little soldier, proudly displaying a little bandage on his left front leg.
Although I was told he might be a bit quiet for the rest of the day, he was back to his normal happy self as soon as he got back home.

So again, try not to worry, I hope the x-rays help in sorting out Daisy's problem. Let us know how she gets on.

Best wishes
Joyce

Please try not to worry Megan (says me, who only last week was in tatters), like the others say the vets do try to clear up the condition the easier way first. Its only 5 days since my own dog was in for x-rays with general, and they ended up having to operate, but I'm glad they did.

I can apprecaite what a worrying time this is for you, I'm sure all will be well.

Please keep us informed of the verdict.

good luck
Lynda

Hi all you lovely people,
All your info and support is really what this site is all about...
Daisy is having her xrays done as I type. We opted for a light general and hope Petplan will pay, if not, that's our choice.
I understand the conservative approach,waiting and watching the injury to see what happens, I just want her well. AND, it has already cost quite a bit, so I get frustrated. I suspect she has had this injury since we collected her at 8 weeks. She would scratch at her ear with her r.rear paw and howl. I thought it was her ear and took her to the vet for that, but it was fine. She continued howling at times and then the limp started 5 weeks ago. But, in herself she's fab. Just a really big, swollen toe. But a maniac non the less. Boxing crazy. My house is sooo quite and lonely today and Georgia keeps saying, "Where's my baby dog, mama?"
I'm sure she'll be fine, but I worry. It's my job.
Best,
Megan

All change for Daisy Jones,
She didn't need the general, just a sedative! she came home late yesterday evening v. quite and didn't want her chicken wings...
they didn't find much, it might be a fracture or a tumour (ugggg), so they'll xray again in 3 weeks time.
today she seems fine. but, v. soft movements( ugggg)
thanks for all your help,
megan

Glad that Daisy didn't need a general after all. Did the vet say why he wants to do another x-ray in 3 weeks ? Just wondering what might show up then that didn't show up this time ?
Hope the mystery is soon solved, though, All this worrying we do when our animals have problems takes a lot out of us !!
Good luck
J:)yce

Make sure that your vet knows never ever use ACP or Acepromazine
on a Boxer!!
It's commonly given to other breeds but Boxers can have a severe
reaction to this. If you search the Boxer sites on the web you can find out all about this and why it should never be given to a Boxer.
The best GA to ask for is Rapinovet.

Also, if you have a dog who is difficult to vaccinate (fear/nerves etc) don't let the vet use ACP to sedate.
A few years ago this combination proved fatal for one of my dogs.

Megan

One of my schipperke bitch puppies had to have an x-ray under general at only 14wks old when she came back from one of her first walks on 3 legs.

She was fine and had broken and dislocated her toe so it had to be put back in, it actually healed with no further treatment as it was her outside toe and they couldn't splint it. When I collected her she was running around on her 3 legs like a loon and wanted her dinner NOW, as she'd missed a meal or 2 even.