My Mups

Yes this is the 'real Mups' , my oldest one who is coming up 13 this year. I love every bone in her body, she's my little mate.

Anyhow, I had a busy morning yesterday and got home from town later than planned. My hairdresser was waiting for me to do my trim, the dogs were leaping about because I had been gone awhile so I opened the back door to let them run off down the garden.
Only about 5 mins later, Mups came back in with her right back paw bleeding profusely. There was so much blood I couldn't see properly what she'd done and thought she'd either sliced her pad open, or ripped a nail out.
It really upset her and she had her leg tucked up under her tummy and didn't want me to look.

To cut a long story short, my lovely vet said bring her straight in, so off we go back to Wellingborough.
Turned out she had torn the whole claw right off. It was just stuck to a bloody soaked lump of her hair. I have no idea how she did it, she doesn't hare about like the younger ones at all. Poor Mups.

She had an appointment today to see him anyway, because she has developed a bit of a worrying habit. The vet calls it "Pica". Anyone heard of that? I hadn't.

It is when an animal developes a strange eating disorder, and starts eating strange things e.g. hair, paper, soil, even metal!
I have been worried about her keep stuffing her face with compost lately, and have been getting increasingly concerned about her eating the fertilizers and plant food in this compost.

She shouldn't be lacking in minerals etc as mine are fed well and have a good variety of things too. She has been doing it more and more and it has now become daily.

I did some research and it seems it can be a psychologic cause (is she getting senile?), or a thyroid problem, or kidneys . . . all sorts.

So while we were there with her poorly foot yesterday, he cancelled todays appointment and did all the appropriate blood tests to save us going back again today.
He is doing general "Geriatric" tests, plus kidneys etc and I asked him to check her thyroid as well.

The Lab will fax her results through to him today and he will ring me later.

Meanwhile it is salt water paw bathing twice a day.
At the moment, she is tucked up in bed (guarding her fresh marrowbone), and seems much happier and is putting weight back on that sore paw again. Phew.

Re: My Mups

Ooo gosh Mups, poor Mups!
That must be painful! Perhaps she was digging for something and caught her nail.
I hope the vet sorts out her problems, I had one dog that used to eat leeks for some reason, I had to stop growing them.

Re: My Mups

Hope her paw mends quickly Mups , on the subject of eating compost Ellie did this for the first time this year when we spilt some while potting up ,
I just thought it was something in the compost mixture .We stopped her and she didnt do it again .

Re: My Mups

Ah poor little Mups, hope everything is alright with her.

Re: My Mups

Aw poor little Mups I have seen a dog rip a claw off in a gap on patio stones .

Mups Pica is a very common disorder, it can be due all the things you mention and in puppies also boredom.
As with many things, if the dog does something once and finds the behaviour rewarding it will repeat the behaviour and it can become a habit.

If all medical causes have been covered and a blood test will usually show any deficiency the usual things apply, distraction so calling a dog away from the unwanted behaviour to do something else and substitution, providing something she can chew but I am sure you have those things covered already

I hope Mups paw will be better soon, like ear flaps they do bleed a lot don't they .

Re: My Mups

We have had dogs do this Mups but it often looks a whole lot worse than it is because of the amount of blood. Anyway, I hope she gets well soon and here is a big (((( HUG )))) for you both.

Re: My Mups

Oh poor Mups (Doggy one) - how worrying for you! I hope the results aren't anything too drastic and that Mups paw heals soon.

How did the name 'Mups' come about?

Re: My Mups

I really hope that Mups improves quickly and the pica is caused by something trivial.... but even if it isn't, she won't get better care than she will from you.

Re: My Mups

Poor Mups, that must have been so painful for her . Will another nail grow back to replace it Mups?

I so, so love her face, she looks so gentle

Re: My Mups

Your poor dog. I hope she gets better soon and the tests are good results.
Thats the problem with pets, if they are ill or injured they cannot tell you how their feeling or what happened just like human babies really.