Missing a toe

I’ve got a lurcher that was a rescue dog. He was worked before I got him and he is missing a toe on his back foot. Do you think that might have been a result of him being worked? I don’t work him because he is too old, but he can still chase a rabbit.

Ed says: Such injuries do happen and can be the result of a few accidents. These can include running on rough ground and smashing a toe on a rock or flint, or jumping over obstacles. Another culprit can be blackthorn, which if unnoticed can lead to severe infection.