Saga of the Sock, Update

I've been promising to update all on the saga of the sock, and Carmel's progress with her lick granuloma. For newcomers, let me bring you up to speed...

Carmel, our beloved Shepard/Lab mix, is 13 years old and still spry as a puppy. Well, most days. People love to stop and pet her when we walk her (she gets a little nervous about that, though) and they usually remark on how pretty she is. No one believes she's 13.

Well, over the last probably 5 years, she's had a lick granuloma on her right back leg, down near her paw. She was relentless with this. We'd manage to distract her for a few days, get it scabbed over and have it begin healing, then... if we were out of the house for anything longer than an hour, she would get at it. No amount of Elizabethan collars or spray or wraps could keep her from it. I was at my wit's end with this issue!

Then, about 2 or 3 months ago, I got the idea to put a sock on her. And tie it with a shoelace. Wouldn't you know it, she loved the sock! She stopped bothering her leg completely - unless we forgot and left the sock off. Or, if we put her out in the yard and forgot about her. (fenced in yard, pretty big, plenty of room to roam...but, when her people aren't with her, well... you get the drift.)

Anyway, we now have a series of socks we use. Some of them are outdoor socks that she wears when we let her in the backyard -- just in case we get busy inside and are not there to open the door when she wants in. (we work from home so sometimes we're on the phone or...in the middle of something and if the weather is nice, we leave her out.)

Occasionally she licks the sock. I have to admit that. We're thinking of creative ways around that now. Because, when all is said and done, her wound is totally healed. She's like a new dog. Her coat has gotten healthier - she sheds less, her foot is not swollen, though it will never go down to its original size. And her attitude is better.

It has been amazing to watch the transformation. Healing that lick granuloma has made Carmel a new dog. A happier dog. Who knew the answer was a simple sock?

Comments

[Jen McCleve]

Do you know where I could go to find out all sorts of different dog breeds and information? I've been looking for a good website. Does anyone know of a good one?

[Lyn and Buddy]

Hi there - I actually have a product on the market called "The Strock" (strap and sock combined) that is working perfectly for those special pups of ours with lick granulomas! As a matter of fact, that is the #1 ailment that these are used for! Please check out our website at www.thestrock.com and perhaps order yourself some for your Carmel. Since they are waterproof, she can lick at it all she wants and it won't make any difference to her wound or the healing process. Thanks for your posting and have a great doggie day!

[Karin]

I can't wait to come and see how she is. I love that sock!

[Phil Gerbyshak]

What a fashionable, yet simple, solution to this problem. Who'd think a sock could be such an amazing answer to this difficult question?