Diabetic senior dog has a foot sore between toes. Is it serious?

Unfortunately, just as in humans diabetic patients can be subject to increased risk of blood flow issues to the extremities and frequency of infection. I can't tell whether or not it will require amputation from the picture, but the swelling can be managed with some icing. I can't recommend other meds or topicals based on this image. Use a cone to prevent any possible self inflicted harm until morning. If the swelling is getting progressive worse quickly during the night, if your dog is feverish or acting like it, or if there is uncontrolled pain, seek emergency care tonight.

The fact that more than one toe is effected makes me more concerned that this is more than just a bacterial infection. While it is possible that bacteria are the primary problem, multiple toes being effected is concerning for a type of cancer or autoimmune condition. I recommend to have Coco examined by the veterinarian. The veterinarian may not be able to tell what this cause is by just a physical exam. They may try a round of antibiotics and monitor a response the therapy. If the lesions persist, biopsy is the next step. Not being able to walk is a sign that Coco is hurting. The vet can also provide medications to make him feel better. Best of luck.

This is called pododermatitis. There are interdigital cysts between the toes that can get infected. I recommend soaking the feet in a warm epsoms salt twice daily to draw out the infection. Also use a cone to prevent Opie from licking his feet. If the sores are not drying up and healing then he should get a veterinary exam and mostly likely they will prescribe a course of antibiotics. Feet can take several weeks to fully heal. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Opie.

Sores on the toes are not common in old dogs, and Lady could have an infection causing the sores. What is concerning is the mass, as in older dogs that can unfortunately be malignant. It could also be a cyst, abscess, or a benign tumor. Any suspicious masses should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the mass to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. I would have Lady seen by a vet tomorrow to have this mass examined and diagnosed, as well as the sores, so she can be treated.

It sounds like Cleo's sore has become infected if it's red and full of puss. She could have injured herself, or could have licked the area raw due to irritation. She will need to see a vet for antibiotics for the infection, there are no home remedies for that, and I would have her seen by a vet in the morning. For tonight, you can soak her paw in an Epson salt bath for five minutes.

I'm sorry to hear that Cookie is having this problem. From your pictures, it looks like the center of the area is a little raw, but crusted over and the entire area looks a little red. Unfortunately, dogs with Cushing's disease have a suppressed immune system, so they have a harder time healing and are more likely to develop infections. For that reason, I would have Cookie evaluated by your veterinarian before that area get infected. I think you will have a very hard time getting it to heal by itself without some professional help and medication. If the area in the center is oozing, I would have it evaluated sooner rather than later. Please let me know if that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Chewy. Poor boy, that is quite a bump. That looks pretty red and irritated, and I see he's missing fur around it, which tells me he's been licking the area a lot. It's clearly bothering him. This could be a cyst, an abscess, or it could potentially be a growth that is either benign or malignant. I don't like the appearance of it, and think it's best you take him into a vet today to get this diagnosed. Once it's diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options. I hope this helps!