Puppy stepped on an asp in Texas. What are the home remedies?

It really depends on the location, severity and the clinical signs associated with the bite. If the bite is on his body and he is otherwise acting normal, you could clean the area with an antiseptic wound cleaner and apply an OTC topical antibiotic. He might need an oral antibiotic to prevent infection, an anti-inflammatory, and/or some pain medications and your vet could prescribe. Some dogs get bit in the mouth and it can cause drooling, vomiting, diarrhea and may require treatment to help stop the vomiting and diarrhea. If you have any concerns about the bite then he should be examined by your vet to determine the best way to treat.

You can soak his paw in warm/hot water with either epsoms salt or antibacterial soap solution. Do this twice daily. That will help draw out the splinters and help prevent infection. As they work themselves out remove them with tweezers. For pain you can give aspirin with a meal. There is a section on this website with information about common over the counter medications with dosages. If he’s licking the foot use a cone so he doesn’t get it more irritated. I don’t recommend a bandage as it’s better to have the air circulation. If it gets swollen or looks worse he should have veterinary care. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Grizzly.

You can cool the area where the sting is with some ice wrapped in a cloth. This will take the pain and reduce the swelling. By tomorrow the area should look normal again. If your puppy starts to vomit, gets breathing problems or appears ill, you will need to take it to a pet ER for treatment.

Try soaking it in some warm water with Epsom salt if he will allow it-- this is easiest to do by putting the water and epsom salt in a plastic bag and putting his paw into the plastic bag. If you can do this for about 10 minutes or so, that may help if he has any debris , sticker, grass seed, etc that is embedded in the skin. If he is licking at it, be sure to put an Ecollar (cone of shame) on him. Dry it with a towel then allow to air dry, then you can use this product on it: If it is not improving within a couple of days, take him in to your vet. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Hello, sorry to hear about Charlie. It sounds like he may have a local area of infection. I agree that the area itself will likely take a long time to heal, however, if he is vomiting and having a lethargy (systemic signs) then this is more concerning for an infection that may be spreading to other parts of his body. This does warrant an emergency visit today. There is a high possibility that his vomiting and decreased appetite is associated with his wound and infection, but there are also other causes for these clinical signs as well. Hope this helps and best of luck!!

Look for the stinger and remove it, if you can, Cool his paw with ice in a cloth (no ice directly on the foot). You can also soak the foot in epsom salt solution for about 10 minutes. The pain should go away by tonight,

You can try and bathe his foot in very warm epsom salt solution for ten minutes at a time three times daily, as it may help for a foreign body to come out, if there is one in the paw. You need to check between the toes and pads for a thorn, stone, or any injury. If you can, palpate the toes to check for pain, which would signal either a sprain or fracture. This could also be caused by a snake bite or bite of another animal and now it may be infected. This is about all you can do until you get an appointment with a veterinarian (any vet!). You will need to get help to get him outside and into the car. If this is so bad that your dog is falling, then he should be seen right away by a vet.