What to do for huge crate calluses??

[sisu27]

I recently took in a 3 yo Dobe that has lived in a crate for most of those 3 years. He has terrible calluses on his elbows, hocks and any bony part of his legs. He licks at the back leg lumps until they are open sores.

It is not allergies he isn’t itchy. He is fed raw and looks 1000% better after only a few weeks. I just want to get the open sores healed and would love to see the lumpy elbows gone. I fear the big elbow calluses are too far gone. They do not appear to contain any fluid but are droopy bags of bald, leathery skin. I have used coconut oil and Corona salve but nothing has changed.

Is there any hope outside of surgery (would never do that to him)? Anyone have any suggestions?

I know its superficial but I hate the constant reminder of the hell he has been through.

[Bicoastal]

What is he laying/sleeping on now?

[sisu27]

Fancy squishy beds and couches lol.

I was told he could not have any beds etc because he was too destructive. I took a chance with a sacrifice bed. He hasn’t touched a thing. Amazing what a little exercise and no beatings will do for a dog.

[Sobriska]

I have zero advice but had to say God Bless You for giving him a new life

[SMK]

This sounds exactly like my last dog. She was large enough that years of laying on I don’t even know what before Animal Control picked her up that her elbows never fully recovered. But they got better! I used Bag Balm at first, and most of her sores were gone within a few months, but those elbows never quite lost that weird, dried water hole look. However, she lived another 9 years and they never seemed to bother her. She was a fairly big dog, about 90 lbs in good weight, but less than 60 when I adopted her.

[D_BaldStockings]

These pages have good advice.
http://www.petwave.com/Dogs/Health/Pressure-Sores/Treatment.aspx

http://www.dogtrainingnation.com/grooming/dog-elbow-callus-treatment/

I love Aloeheal, myself.
You have to be diligent about keeping the callus slathered and not letting it dry out; apply after soaking the callus - and if your dog is licking you need an e-collar or similar.

The more exercise the dog gets, the better.

[csaper58]

Has yeast invaded the cracks and crevices of the calluses the dog is still licking? That would make those areas very itchy, and the vet can prescribe meds to help the areas heal.

Or is it a self soothing behavior? Many animals that live exclusively in crates/cages develop idiosyncrasies that help them cope with the stress. Exercise can help this.

Is it possible to determine if there is any arthritis, or nerve damage, going on in the areas covered by the calluses? Again the vet can prescribe meds. and swimming is great for arthritis, and it’s great a great exercise for draining energy.

Bless you for giving this dog the loving care all pets deserves.

[sisu27]

Thank you @Sobriska The timing was far less then ideal but this boy is so sweet and kind I could not fail him. Dogs are amazing in what they can forgive.

@SMK he is also large…I would say hes well over 100lbs and still too skinny so that probably doesn’t help. Perhaps I will try Bag Balm. I do not think they bother him much other than he gets very nervous about me touching those spots. Never a grumble but I can tell it stresses him. They must have hurt at some point.

@csaper58 I do not think it is a yeast/itchy problem. He licks at them in a more neurotic fashion. I suppose nerve damage is possible but I doubt arthritis as he is unbelievably athletic and powerful and BUSY! To the point that I can’t imagine what he will be like when he gets really fit lol. We are slowly increasing the exercise given his history and his weight but we haven’t really found the bottom of him yet and he has not looked sore or stiff after the bigger runs. Thank you as well. He is such a nice dog we see it as their loss, our gain

Was sort of hoping someone would have found something that would shrink and regenerate those saggy elbows but I knew it was a stretch. What would preperation H do I wonder?? Witch Hazel??

[CanadianTrotter]

@sisu27

Amazing what a little exercise and no beatings will do for a dog.

Thank you for giving this guy a new and happy life.

My doctor’s wife was the head of a burn unit and she swears by Vitamin E oil for almost any type of scarring.

[RHdobes563]

Congratulations on your new boy!

Coincidently, I adopted—was given—a 3 year old male Doberman only six weeks ago. He was listed as “free” on craigslist, with “quirks” (wouldn’t go up and down steps), and that his “elderly owner had passed away.” I drove across the state to get him, and it was difficult–he laid down in the house and refused to get up. Since he weighed 108 lbs., it was a bit daunting.

Long story short, things worked out :ambivalence:, and he did come home with me. He was clearly traumatized, both at his previous “residence” and the first few days he was with me. He has shown no reluctance to go up and down steps with me but a little bit of worry when I ask him to get into my vehicle. My female thinks he is the ‘cat’s meow.’ And speaking of cats, he has NO interest in my six kitties, the MOST important thing I was looking for.

Besides being oversized (sigh), he is a fawn, has a very thin coat, and has almost NO tail (bad tail dock). However, his lack of interest in my cats makes everything else unimportant. I was told that they were calling him “Ralph.” It was said oddly which made me think that that had NOT been his name. I tried several ‘common’ Doberman/big dog names on him, but he didn’t respond to any of them. He, however, seemed such a “forlorn waif” when I saw him, it made me think of various characters in Charles Dickens books. Hence, he became “Dickens.”

He is Such A Good Dog. He will not get on furniture, despite invitations from me. He prefers to be at my feet which means I am constantly moving his bed from one place to the other. He knows NOTHING—not “sit”, “down”, “stay”—nada. But I can take him to dog classes. :yes:
Sorry to hijack your thread and good luck with your ??? (name?).