A foot to stand on

Can you imagine living your entire life in a room where the ceiling was so low you were not even able to stand up?  You never have enough room to stretch your cramped legs or stretch out to sleep. The floor consists of rusty dirty wire that cuts the bottoms of your feet.  Well, that is what life is like for some puppy mill dogs.  These living conditions are horrid, yet it is the norm for many USDA inspected puppy factories.

Many of the mill rescue dogs we take in have foot problems. Swollen, bleeding feet are unfortunately the norm. Infections from walking in their own waste are commonly seen. Overgrown and ingrown nails are also a common issue with mill rescue dogs. 

Overgrown nails is something we see on a regular basis. With no solid surfaces to walk on, the nails are never worn down and often grow into hooks that can become caught on the wire floor and tear or rip from the nail bed. Occasionally the nails will grow full circle and through the bottoms of the feet. When these dogs try to walk on "solid" ground, the nails can put painful pressure on the toe joints causing lameness. 

Foot injuries and sores are a common issue with mill survivors. Wire can leave cuts and scrapes on or between the pads, causing infections and occasionally the loss of toes. Since these dogs rarely get veterinary attention, infections can lead to kidney failure or even death.

Interdigital cysts are common in dogs who spend their lives walking on wire.  The most common cause is a deep bacterial infection. These cysts generally occur in the webbing between the toes and can be quite large, purple to red, very painful, and often will break open and bleed. 

The dog suffering from these cysts will often limp or hold the foot up, they may lick or chew at the cyst or just refuse to walk at all. 

In some cases, a foreign body such as a piece of rusted wire imbedded into the foot may be the cause.

Antibiotic treatment is necessary to clear the infection and ease the pain of these cysts.

Lack of muscle tone in the feet and legs, vitamin deficiency, as well as untrimmed nails can cause "flat feet" in the mill dog. This condition can also cause discomfort and the inability or unwillingness to walk. Sometimes just trimming the nails short and increasing the vitamin C intake can solve the problem.

Lack of general and veterinary care can cause many foot problems in the mill survivor. Be vigilant! Limping or lameness in the mill survivor is a sign of a problem that should never be ignored.