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From boarding to losing a leg: How quickly it could happen. Gino is a 2 year old neutered, male Bichon Frise that came to Paws of the Rockies on emergency this past March. He had been While boarding, Gino had a history of being stressed. But this time he took out his anxiety on the blankets that were in his kennel.
After 25 minutes of foot baths and massage, Gino’s leg was again warm to the touch. It was still red and swollen and would need to be watched carefully for necrosis (tissue death). After a few weeks, Gino’s leg returned to normal color, size, and weight bearing, but he continued to lick at it. Within a few months, the hair on Gino’s leg grew in, and he was no longer licking at it. No further behavior modification medications were needed and Gino walked fully weight bearing on all 4 legs.
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boarding at a kennel and was brought in by the kennel owner for trauma to the leg. 
After tearing each blanket into stringy shreds, Gino began to circle and pace, causing the shredded blankets to tangle around his legs. Eventually, a piece of blanket wrapped so tightly around his leg that it cut off circulation to his leg. During the next check-in, the kennel worker removed the blanket from Gino’s leg, but by this time the leg had already turned brick red, was swollen 2 times the normal size, and was cold to the touch. Gino was continuously licking his leg and would not lay comfortably. 
He was immediately brought into Paws of the Rockies for treatment after owner consent. Timing was key because Gino was at risk for losing his leg if the circulation was not brought back quickly.
After initial examination, anesthesia was used to sedate Gino so his leg could further be examined by the doctor without pain. A warm saline soak was used to slowly warm the leg tissue while simultaneously massaging the leg to improve circulation and reduce swelling. Intraveneous steroids were also used to help reduce swelling and Intraveneous antibiotics were given to help prevent infection.
After an hour, the foot remained warm to the touch without treatment. After 4 hours, Gino was using the leg at 25% of normal weight bearing. He was hospitalized overnight to manage pain and temperature, and to prevent him from licking at the leg. Gino was sent home the next day with pain medications, antibiotics, and an e-collar. Gino was still at risk for tissue necrosis and would still need to be watched carefully. 
Gino was rechecked daily for the next 3 days. The leg continued to improve in color and weight bearing each day. Gino, however, did not like the e-collar. Without it, he licked the leg to the point of causing sores. With the collar, he caused more trauma to himself trying to it off. Gino was fitted with a Bite Not collar and given some sedatives. This calmed him enough to let the sores on his leg heal.
It was thought that Gino may have suffered some nerve damage that was causing him irritation. He was prescribed some amitriptyline to help alter his behavior, in hopes of breaking the urge to lick. This combination seemed to help and Gino stopped licking his leg.
Gino was lucky for a number of reasons: Timing was everything. If a couple more hours had passed without the strangulation being removed, the leg may not have been salvaged. The kennel owner recognized the urgency of Gino’s situation and did not wait to contact his owners. The owners were willing to work with a different vet (one that the kennel owner was familiar with and was closer to the kennel). This combination of quick action and quality care, saved Gino’s leg.
To help prevent this situation from happening to your pet, always notify your pet sitter, kennel staff, day care staff, or veterinarian of behavior concerns or previous “incidences” prior to your pet spending time with them. A change in bedding type or toys can be made to prevent ingestion or strangulation or foreign material. 
It could save your pets life.