My puppy has a foxtail in his paw. What's the best home remedy for it?

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!

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.

This looks like a typical wound from a grassawn/foxtail migration under the skin. It does not look like a hotspot - those are rarely seen between the toes. A cone is always a good idea to prevent licking but if it is a migrating foxtail he may need surgery to find it and remove it. You can try soaking the foot in warm Epsom salt water for 5 minutes three times a day. If the foxtail is not too far under the skin already this may help to draw it out. Do not continue to use peroxide as that is actually toxic to the tissues. Peroxide is only good for an initial injury/dirty wound to clean it and that is it. Continued use is counter productive. A vet visit is probably best in this case.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It looks as though something may have punctured the skin and caused an infection. This looks like it could be an abscess / isolated infection. For the epsom salt soak, I generally recommend ~1/2 cup of epsom salt added to 1 gallon of warm water. It is ok if he licks the foot after the soak as the epsom salt is not toxic. I would recommend using a plastic cone to prevent him from licking at the area. If he continues to lick the area, the wound will likely not resolve. If this does not resolve or it worsens, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine Rocky so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

If BoDeen is only licking one paw then he may have something between his toes that is causing a problem. I will usually recommend soaking the foot in Epsom Salts (following the instructions on the box for making it up) for 5 minutes then just drying it well. That can be repeated twice daily. You should also try to figure out a way to prevent him from licking at the foot and to protect it. I like a light boot like TheraPaw Boot ( https://www.therapaw.com/therapawboot ), but you may also be able to find something at a local pet store that would work. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

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.

Yes, you can do an epsom salt bath for his feet for 5-10 minutes 1-2 times a day and then rinse and VERY gently pat dry. Do not give him any human pain medications or aspirin at home because they are actually toxic to dogs. If Charlie is so uncomfortable that he can sleep or eat, I would recommend taking him to an emergency clinic before Monday. I hope he's feeling better soon!