I have often posted on here about Henry's toe.  He has interdigital cysts.  I have been told by the vet that the little short hairs are growing in to the lump and the lump is bursting and then the cycle repeats itself.  He does limp now and again and I assume it's from the cysts and I can only imagine that they must be painful for him.  He has had a good check over (shoulders, legs etc) and nothing else could be causing his limp.  I have been told that an op to remove the lump/cyst is the way forward.  Can you give me some general advice on the cysts please John.  I do bathe them in saline.

Thank you

First off Labmad, I must say that I'm not a vet and am not qualified to give advice on veterinary matters. (Of course, that has never stopped me in the past ;)  )

From the way your vet is talking it sounds like a Sebaceous cyst. Quite common in both humans and dogs and although will often go of their own free will sometimes they do need to be surgically removed. I remember many years ago I had one behind my ear. After months I finally decided to see my doctor. He checked it out and told me he would cut it out the next week. The cyst obviously decided it did not like the idea because in the mean time it burst and disappeared, never to return!

At the end of last season Anna developed a cyst like swelling between two toes on her front right paw but this turned out to be part of a Blackthorn thorn which had become imbedded. My vet cut around it and found the thorn and was able to remove it without needing any anaesthetic and it cleared up within days.

In any case like this my first line of approach is to bathe a morning and night in a weak saline solution. This never does any harm and can often clear a problem away. If this is a Sebaceous cyst then it could well be that surgery is the way you will have to go although it is very minor surgery and should very soon clear up.

Just my thoughts.

Best wishes, John  

Thank you so much John for your help.  Your thoughts are appreciated.  I will just keep bathing his paws for now and see what the new year brings.

Many thanks and Happy Christmas!

poor mr h!
well done on your place at the weekend & flynn enjoyed playing with henry & all his gang!
we ended up 5th in A,-but  it was close i lost 5 1/2 & the winner lost 4 1/2. & manged to get 7th in your mates B. (so came home with two rossettes)

oh well done!

Henry loved Flynn didn't he.  Flynn is gorgeous.

I'm glad you got placed in B too.

Pat was convinced that H should have won but because he was too busy entertaining you, he lost his concentration didn't he!

He is usually a lot better than that little performance ha ha.

Sounds like some congratulations are in order! Well done both of you!

Best wishes, John

Thank you John.

Henry has got 10 rosettes this season in obedience so it goes to show that labs can do it too!