Corns: The Bane Of Hound Ownership

Did you know that dogs can get corns?  They do...and they are a nightmare!  

While any dog breed can develop corns, sighthounds, for whatever reason, are more prone to them.

Some  may never have one, others might have them reoccurring on every foot.   There is no rhyme or reason to it.  But for those who have a greyhound  with corns, they’ll know just how frustrating and impacting they can be.

For  anyone that doesn’t know. or for anyone who hasn’t seen one, they are  thick, hard, and circular formations on a hound’s toe beans.  They can  occur singularly or in clusters and are a hardening of skin cells.  A  form of hyperkeratosis that can cause discomfort, and pain, for the  hound if not properly managed.  They feel akin to us permanently having a  little rock in our shoe.

Thankfully,  they are manageable and a lot of the time they are treatable…but a lack  of awareness in the veterinary sector means a lot of hounds go without  the help they need.

Recently, we  were approached by a hound owner who had spent (literally) thousands on  veterinary treatment.  From pain medication to x-rays, the vet was at  the point of suggesting referral to get an MRI after all previous  treatment was unsuccessful.  Desperate, the owner asked if we could look  at their poor limping hound and, sure enough, they had a big ol’ corn  on their toe.  

As a means of  providing immediate comfort, we dug it out, cleaned and moisturised the  hell out of it, cut their nails and put on a little booty to protect the  hole from dirt.  The result?  The hound immediately started weight  bearing again.  But we felt awful for the owner, that after all this  time and with all the money they spent, the problem was so easily  rectified.

While digging the  corns out can provide temporary relief, they do typically come back  within a few weeks, which is why this is not a long-term solution a lot  of the time.  But luckily for this hound owner, the corn didn’t reoccur,  and what we did was curative.  

We  don’t (completely) blame the vet for missing the corn.  The primary  symptom of a corn, limping or not weight bearing at all (holding foot up  when walking), is very similar to many other injuries and niggles.   However, a had the vet looked at or individually pressed on each of the  toe pads the corn would have become evident rather than seeking injury  in the leg and shoulder.  

But it  is what it is…and thankfully, things are changing.  Corns are much more  widely known about I the veterinary sector, but their treatment plans  are not all how they should be.  The immediate reaction is the put the  hound under anaesthetic and dig the corn out but, as mentioned, this is  rarely curative.  It is also an insanely expensive waste of time when  corns can be managed and removed at home…but we’ll explain this properly  further down the article…please don’t go stabbing at your hounds’ foot!  

Before we get into that; why do  they even happen in the first place?  We’re not sure anyone really  truly knows as to why greyhounds get corns but there are several factors  that could be involved, including genetics.

Some of the common theories contributing to corn development include:

-   Excessively long nails which influence a change in weight distribution  on the pads.  The excessive pressure on specific areas is suggested to  lead to corn formation.

-  Environmental causes such as over exercising or excessive walking on  hard surfaces such as pavements and roads, that can cause constant  abrasion of the pads.

-  Foreign  bodies such as splinters, glass, grit or other debris.  This is the one  we’ve most seen result in corns.  As the pad tries to heal the hole  caused by a foreign body, or heal around a foreign body, it can cause  hyperkeratosis and thus, a corn.  If the foreign body remains in the paw  after the corn develops, they can be exceedingly more painful than a  typical corn.

When foreign bodies  are involved, by all means, seek the surgical option of digging it out  as you will need to get the foreign body out…but understand that the  corn may very well return regardless!  

There  have been many people in the past to suggest that corns come about as a  direct result of racing…but this is a myth, as not only do un-raced  greyhounds suffer from corns, so to lurchers, whippets and every other  sighthound out there!  We’ve even seen a Beagle with corns!

If it’s a normal corn though, there are better ways!

You  can either manage your hound’s corn(s) at home or seek a greyhound  savvy vet that is familiar with corns…and more importantly, the Flexor  Tenotomy procedure which is a non-invasive and much more cost-effective  surgery that immediately alters the way in which the affected toe sits.   This relieves the pressure on the affected toe, allowing the dog to  walk with more comfort.  This is typically curative and resolves ongoing  issues in 6-8 weeks.

If for any  reason you don’t want to seek this option, such as not being able to  afford veterinary intervention, or your hound cannot go under  anaesthetic, corns can largely managed at home.

Should  you have a hound with a corn, or corns, a very easy management solution  is the Dremel.  The corns can be regularly dremeled down to bevel  inward, relieving the pressure when walking, thus avoiding any more  invasive or ongoing treatment.

Alternatively,  if you want to remove the corn, soaking your hounds affected paw(s) in  warm water with Epsom salts, can help soften the corn.  Coupled with a  hell of a lot of regular moisturising, can hydrate the pad and encourage  the corn to release it’s hold.  Eventually, the corn will become  dislodged and either come away itself or be easily teased out without  the need for invasive tools.

In  either case, regular and proper nail trimming is vital.  If your hounds’  nails are touching the ground, they are too long.  Too-long nails put  pressure into the nail bed, changing the position and distribution of  pressure when the paw touches the ground when walking.  It’s vitally  important to keep their nails trimmed away from the ground both for  their overall comfort and for corn management.

While  you are managing your greyhounds corn(s) at home, you will want to  consider dog shoes, such as Hunnyboots or Therapaw, to provide  cushioning to the affected foot.  This will help your hound walk more  comfortably, as limping or tri-paw-ing for extended periods can cause  issues to develop in the other legs as they try to compensate.  It’s  also very easy for them to develop a lot of tension and trigger points  in their spine when their walking is altered, which can cause a lot of  discomfort.

There are also LOADS  of suggestions and help available in a Facebook group called ‘Greyhounds  With Corns’ which is exactly what it says on the tin!  This group is  packed with information and an invaluable support if your hound is  struggling.