My Minn-Pinn got hurt. Were not sure what attacked him. He had a big scratch and one puncture wound on his ankle.

The vet said it was from a fight. But I really don't buy that. Our best guess is he climbed up on the deck and misjudged his step and fell onto the old set step runners.

Anyway. After X-Rays and $76 the vet said "He'll heal on his own".

WEll its been 3 weeks and he still won't use his leg.

ANY SUGGESTIONS?

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), April 18, 2001

Answers

Whats a Minn-Pinn?

Is it the rear leg?

Can you tell from the way its walking if the problem is foot, knee, or hip?

-- William in WI (gnarledmaw@lycos.com), April 18, 2001.

Sounds like he needs an X-ray and a different vet.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), April 18, 2001.

Sorry, I see now that you already got an X ray.:#)

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), April 18, 2001.

Kenneth, is there any sign of infection, or is the wound swollen...the puncture specifically? If the puncture is swollen there might be the beginning of an abcess, or in the worst case scenario tetanus, but most likely not. Sometimes puctures can damage muscles and bruise things up so that it does take a month or so to heal. Did you put the dog on antibiotics or probios? Sometimes massaging the area will help to alleviate stiffness. I need more to go on, I think.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), April 18, 2001.

Minn-Pinn = Minature Doberman Pincher

Antibiotics YES

back leg = YES

Swollen a little. He refuses to even try to walk on it. I can massage it and pull it back to normal and he doesn't cry. But hes stubborned and won't try it himself.

Theres only 2 vets in a 50 mile radius. Neither one is what i'd call a animal lover. There in it for the $$$.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), April 19, 2001.

I'd give him a while longer to heal. It may still be sore down in it when he puts his weight on it. After another week or so, I'd let him out to do something that it exciting for him, like walk through the field with you or something. See if he begins to put the leg down then when he has had to walk for quite a ways and interesting things are all around him. He might get tired enough of the three legged bit to use it, or might get so excited at the idea of chasing a bird or rabbit that he will use it.

One of our rat terriers, Roger Rabbitt, hurt his back leg in January while climbing out of his pen. He still favors the leg when he is walking, but he can run with the best of them on all fours. He just has fallen into the habit of not using it all the time.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), April 19, 2001.

First off.... did the vet give him a tetanus shot??? That would be the first thing. Of course, he doesn't have it, if its been three weeks... but that should be the very first thing they do when they can't tell what happened!!

Is there still heat or swelling?? There could be a tear in the tendon, which can take a couple months to heal.

I would keep it washed with hydrogen peroxide if there is still a scar or wound mark - maybe a little bactine. You can bandage it, but make sure it isn't too tight - he can't tell you! A bandage will help brace the leg so he can put a little bit of weight on it.

I take it that he isn't putting any weight on it at all right now. If he will let you poke around a little, you would probably be able to check the muscles for large tears. Was the puncture a long wound, or just a little round one? If it was long, there is a good chance that lots of things were torn. You might be able to tell by comparing the two limbs.

Other than not using the leg, how is his behavior? The temperment is relatively normal?

Keep us all posted, I don't really think its time to go for another vet, but some antibiotic cream would be a good idea. Watch closely for heat - an internal antibiotic is indicated if there are any signs of infection.

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), April 19, 2001.

Thanks Sue

It was a very small punture wound. At first we thought one of the neighborhood brats had shot him with a pellet rifle. Thats why we consented to x-rays. No lead and no breaks.

I'll try the warm compress and external antibiotic cream.

Thank ya'll for your help.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), April 20, 2001.

I didnt say anything at first because its not very common with little dogs but, it could be tendon or ligament damage. If its tendon damage that is anything but the most extreme type of tear then it should heal up pretty well after a while but if its ligament damage then that could be pretty serious. Some, like the ACL, are fragile in all dogs (the larger the dog the more fragile it seems) and if a ligament like that pops then there just isnt much option except allowing the dog to hobble on (they do eventually regain some use of bodly part) with arthritis or pay for surgery.

I guess my only point here is that if that limb stays lame for a couple weeks with no sign of improvement then Id have to chalk it up to something like that and then have some real hard decisions to make...

-- William in Wi (gnarledmaw@lycos.com), April 20, 2001.

Minn-Pinn doing A Little better. He tried to use his leg a little over the week-end.

Someone asked about the vet giving a tetnus shot. NO he did not give a tetnus shot even though we requested it.

Just thought I'd bring ya up to date.

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), April 25, 2001.

I know its a bit later on and I hope you dog is well on its way to recovery now. I was actually searching around for a leg brace for my dog which I why I found your notes as my dog has just had surgery for a very similar thing. He actually has had cruciate ligament surgery (ACL)like the other guy was talking about and if the dog is still not putting weight on his leg then depending on its age the longer you leave it the more likelhood of it getting arthritis. Cruciate repair these days is routing surgery but will still cost between $600-1000 depending on post op care like physio and swimming. Try standing him square and rocking his weight gently over onto the affected leg and see if he will stay there or if he pulls the leg back up. If its a torn muscle it will have healed by now if its a ligament then it wont get better on its own. Let me know how he's doing and best of luck to you.

Elaine Burroughs London England

-- Elaine Burroughs (elaine.burroughs@onsemi.com), October 04, 2001.

The scratch and the puncture wound may not be related.Your dog may have gotten one because of the other. Look around and see if there a piece of metal lying around. Sounds like a reaction to a bite whitch would require applications of heat and antibiotics. Check around the deck for spiders!

-- R.E. Foskey (Fosr1@aol.com), January 14, 2003.

Hi

I can understand how your dog is feeling.

My doberman has just tried to get under the house in a gap of 1-2cm wide (how, i dont know), she has torn a hole in her hind leg in the groin and she went into shock. i kept monitoring her temperature and kept her warm until her breathing was normal from being cold.

Her wound has not yet healed and i am going to my vet to get some otoderm to kill any germs and antibiotics.

She is now starting to walk on it, without squealing, but is very quiet (which is unusual for her).

My partner and i have 7 dogs and i tell you this is not the first time a hole has been punctured in their body. Our Oldest greyhound was bitten in the neck by the doberman that has just torn her leg and it healed very with antibiotics and kept her isolated.

I dont think they will learn from their injuries...

Dogs, Dogs, Dogs,

Regards

-- Christine in Australia (minmegs@hotmail.com), March 30, 2003.

On saturday my dog was attacked by a pitbull, he suffered from a really torn up front leg right near the point of attachment to his body, he has muscle hanging down and a huge hole in the thin skin that is attached to his arm and his body, I took him to the vet and they gave me antibiotics and told me it should heal on its own well so far no change, I think that he needs stiches but I go back on Friday to see my own vet and see what he thinks. My dog is limping and won't eat unless I hand feed him, I am not sure whether this will heal on its own without corrective surgery. Does anyone have any information to add to me that may help my goldie?

-- Chantelle (yummymommy14@hotmail.com), May 06, 2003.

my half rott, is two yr old. And is still peeing all over the place. we got him from a lady who said that he had been poisned. by who ,or with what i'll never know.is he still just growing or do i need special help for him?

-- paul j hudak (pauljh33936@yahoo.com), August 02, 2003.

I need help too. My lil terrier-poodle-wiener mix fell last week from a chair and hurt his leg. He is only 4 months old and 7 pounds. I think he landed on it funny. He wont use it at all and he screams if we touch it or move it wrong. I dont think the bone is broken but it might be fractured or he might have torn a tendon/ligament. I dont know what to do other then let it heal on its own. I am a poor college student so Im trying to wait to take him to the vet because everywhere i read says it should just heal on its own.

-- rachael b (stdrxb17@shsu.edu), December 15, 2003.

The min pinscher is NOT a miniature doberman pinscher, Minn Pinn's are the original breed that the larger "Doberman Pinscher" was breed from. A man by last name Doberman mixed larger breeds with the minn pinn and then inserted his name into this new breed making them the doberman pinscher. So in this case the miniature came before the larger version of the breed. The minn pin does not have Doberman anywhere in it's breed name, it is simply the miniature pinscher. I have a 3 year old male and a 1 year old female. When we got our first I did a good bit of reading up on the breed. They are great dogs.

-- Tanya (tanyarna@cableone.net), February 25, 2004.

A miniature pincher has absolutely no relation to a doberman pincher. You should buy a buy a book so you get you facts straight. Anyways, I am having problems with Rocco's (my min pin) back left leg. There seems to be a bump on the top and he limps and tries to stretch it alot. Anybody know what might be wrong.

-- Amanda Garrett (mandi4real@aol.com), March 22, 2004.

MY DOG ALSO, HAS A PROBLEM. TOOK HER TO 3 DIFFERENT DOCTORS FOR OPINIONS. SHE WAS PLAYING WITH A DOG ROUGH AS THEY ALWAYS DO, AND THE NEXT DAY SHE GOT UP LIMPING. THEY ARE TRYING TO SAY IT MIGHT BE ARTHRITUS OR HIP DYSPLASIA...MEANTIME SHE GOES FOR RUNS ON THE WEEKEND FAR AND NEVER LIMPED.. HER TOE IS NOT IN IT'S CORRECT POSITION ON BACK FOOT, AND THE TOENAIL ITSELF GOES IN AND OUT LIKE A TURTLE'S HEAD...HAD XRAY NO BROKEN BONES. I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO BATH HER FOOT WITH EPSOM SALT, IT SEEMS TO HELP. SHE STILL WANTS TO RUN AND STUFF, SO I KNOW SHE'S NOT IN BAD PAIN OR ANYTHING. I THINK AS FAR AS YOUR MINN-PINN, I AGREE WITH THE DOC THAT IT NEEDS TIME TO HEAL, THAT TAKES TIME. AND THE GIRL WHOSE DOG FELL OFF THE CHAIR, YOU HAVE TO GET THE DOG TO A VET, THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S BROKEN, EVEN IF NOT BROKEN, IF IT YELPS EVERYTIME YOU TOUCH IT, THAT'S ASHAME. YOU HAVE TO BORROW MONEY OR GIVE THE DOG TO A PLACEMENT SHELTER WHERE THEY DON'T DESTROY THE DOGS, BUT FIND HOMES, BECAUSE THEY WILL TREAT THE DOG FOR IT'S INJURY AND FIND A HOME FOR IT. TO OWN A DOG IS AN EXPENSE AND IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT AT THIS TIME, YOU SHOULD GIVE HER UP, NO MATTER HOW HARD IT IS. I HOPE BY NOW THE DOG WAS TREATED BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALLY LOOK AT THE DATE YOU POSTED, BUT I THINK IT WAS DECEMBER. ALSO PLEASE EVERYONE START TO RESEARCH OVERVACCINATING OF ANIMALS. MY MOTHERS DOG JUST DIED OF CANCER AND WAS ONLY 7YRS. IT WAS DUE TO VACCINATIONS. IT IS NECESSARY TO GET INITIAL VACS. BUT AFTER THAT YOUR TAKING A CHANCE. OF COURSE BY LAW RABIES EVERY 3 YRS. BUT THE OTHER VACCINES ARE MAKING DOGS SICK AND DEATH TO MANY. GO TO WWW.CRITTERADVOCACY.ORG AND SHIRLEYS WELLNESS CAFE OR JUST TYPE IN ADVERSE REACTIONS TO DOG VACCINATIONS AND START STUDYING. AND THAT NEW HEART WORM INJECTION IS KILLING SO MANY DOGS, EVEN THE NEWS HAD DISCUSSED IT'S CONTROVERSEY. PLEASE EVERYONE DO RESEARCH, BUT IT IS HARD TO FIND HOLISTIC VETS, THEY ARE OUT THERE BUT HARD TO FIND. THERE IS A "TITER" TEST THAT YOU CAN ASK YOUR VET TO GIVE RATHER THAN THE SHOTS EVERY YEAR, IT WILL SHOW HOW MUCH ANTIBODIES TO THE PARVO OR DISTEMPER ETC. IT HAS. YEARS AGO YOU NEVER HEARD OF ALL THESE DOGS DYING OF CANCER. NOW THAT WE GO AND GIVE SHOTS EVERY YEAR, WE ARE KILLING THEM. I DO BELIEVE IN GETTING THE SHOTS AT PUPPY STAGE, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO GET PARVO AND OTHER DISEASES, BUT AFTER THAT, FORGET IT. I TAKE MY DOG TO THE VET TWICE A YEAR FOR CHECK-UPS AND SHE GETS BLOODTEST TO CHECK FOR HEART WORM. SO PLEASE LOOK INTO WHAT I AM SAYING AND TELL YOUR VET YOU AREN'T GOING TO GET THE SHOTS. THEY REVISED AND ARE NOW SAYING EVERY 3 YEARS FOR SHOTS BUT WHEN YOU GO TO CRITTER ADVOCACY. ORG THAT VET SAYS HE GOT THE INITIAL SHOTS FOR HIS DOG AND THAT'S IT FOR LIFE. WELL I HOPE THAT SOMEONE OUT THERE WILL FIND THIS INFO HELPFUL AND I HOPE NOBODY HAS LOST THEIR DOG DUE TO VACCINATIONS. MY MOTHERS DOG FIRST SIGN WAS BLEEDING FROM NOSE AND $4,OOO (THOUSAND) DOLLARS LATER THEY DIAGNOSED CANCER. IF ANY ELSE HAS EXPERIENCED THIS EMAIL ME AND LET ME KNOW

-- COLLEEN ANN (YASHORE417@AOL.COM), March 26, 2004.