My dog chewed her paw pad. What else can I do for her irritated paw?

First thing you need to do is to buy her a cone collar to stop her from licking/chewing at the feet. The collar must be long enough to go past the end of her nose or she will still be able to lick. She must wear it 24/7 until the feet are healed. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-ecollars/well-and-good-e-collar ) You can also apply this spray 2-3 times per day. I believe you can buy both the Collar and the medication at your local Petco. If there is no improvement after 5-7 days then you need to get her to the vet for an exam.

Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent further licking. You can soak the paw in an Epsom salt foot bath for 10-15 minutes daily. Make sure the paw is completely dry afterwards. A soak in diluted chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) may also provide some relief.

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! I'm sorry to see that your dog is having some trouble with her foot. It appears to moist and irritated between the toes, and there is also some swelling around the nail beds of two of her nails. I am very concerned that this may be a skin infection, and possibly also a nail bed infection (which can sometimes be tricky to treat because of how deep the nail goes into the toe). I do not recommend continuing the Zymox spray without the advice of a veterinarian, as it contains hydrocortisone (a steroid). Steroids will decrease inflammation, but they also suppress the immune system. I strongly suggest that you bring your dog to visit the vet as he or she may require antibiotics and/or antifungals to treat any potential infection she has. In the meantime, you can try soaking her foot in cool, mildly soapy water, followed by thorough drying. If your dog is licking the foot, I recommend placing an Elizabethan collar (E-collar) on his or her neck to prevent further licking, which can exacerbate inflammation and contamination with bacteria and yeast. At the vet's office, they will perform a physical exam, and most likely they will take a sample of skin cells and discharge from between those toes and around the nail bed for examination under a microscope. This will help them determine what treatment will work best. They may also give your dog some pain relievers or anti-inflammatories so that he or she is more comfortable. Good luck, and I hope that your dog feels better soon!

Ouch! That looks pretty uncomfortable. I would take him in to see your vet for wound care and possibly antibiotics or a topical treatment to help him heal as quickly as possible. My may have gotten a sting or stepped on something sharp enough to puncture his pad and if he chews too aggressively, he'll make it worse.

The paw pad will grow back, and in your pictures it doesn’t look infected or particularly irritated so you might be able to simply monitor Thor. You will need to prevent him from licking since it can interfere with healing and you may need to use an e-collar for a day or two. I would not recommend any topical medication. If the skin seems red, if he starts limping or if he hasn’t stopped licking in a couple days you should see the vet.

Normal hydration can be maintained in these cases by applying vaseline on the pads and protect them as much as possible from licking. Your veterinarian can possibly prescribed some anti-inflammatory ointment (usually acetylsalicylic acid based) to try to reduce peeling and keratin overgrowth.