Dog's dew claw infected, not healing. Should I get a second opinion?

Hello, sorry to hear about Panda. An injury such as a sprain may simply require some rest and ice. If he has a cut then cleaning with soap and water will work. And finally, placing an e-collar on him so that he does not lick at his toes would be best case scenario as this is likely the source of infection. If he is licking at the area, he should wear a cone for approximately 3-5 days. No running, jumping, or rough housing should be allowed during his rest period of 10 days. Once he has recovered, then he may resume his normal activity. If his toe continues to be red, then you he should be seen by a veterinarian. If Panda develops any limping, then he should also be seen by his veterinarian then. Hope this helps and best of luck.

The toe does look very inflamed and swollen and it might be getting infected which would warrant oral antibiotics. You could also try to soak the foot in a dilute betadine solution (use warm water and dilute to the color of weak tea). Dry it thoroughly, then place triple antibiotic ointment on the wound and then bandage it. You should do this twice daily. If the wound isn't improving, you will most likely need to take Jimmy to the vet for further care and medications.

Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Poor Archie seems to have a case of pododermatitis, an inflammatory condition sometimes associated with allergies. It may, indeed take a few days for the antibiotics to kick in. Hopefully, he is on an oral antibiotic, but I will also recommend a topical one, as well. This would involve bandaging up the foot so the antibiotic does its job. You can talk to your vet about some pain medication too. In the meantime, soak the foot in warm water & dilute betadine or 2% chlorhexidine. 1/4 cup of the solution in a cup of water should do it. Try to soak the paw for 5-10 minutes 3 times a day, rinse & dry the foot. This will help in the healing process. Hope Archie is doing better soon. Take care.

Hello. I am so sorry for your worries with MuShu. It looks like the toe has made great progress on the antibiotics, so stay the course on the antibiotics & hopefully the toe infection will be resolved once the antibiotics are finished. If not, do stay in contact with your veterinarian in case another round of antibiotics are required. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Hank. I am concerned that his toe is not healing. Infections in the nail and digit can be hard to treat. Sometimes aggressive antibiotics are needed. I will usually prescribe two separate antibiotics for a broader spectrum of coverage. However, I am always suspicious of cancer when there is a non-healing on a toe. In this case, you may discuss amputation with his veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

If there is no improvement at this point more testing does need to be done. I would recommend started with an x ray to see if the bone is affected or has anything going on. Amputation is a viable option at this point due to lack or response and pain associated with this. If you are not satisfied with your vet it is reasonable to seek a second opinion with your medical records to see what other options you have to help Abby.

Infection is the biggest concern with these wounds and it's best to have a vet evaluate it to make sure it doesn't need further treatment. It's definitely good to flush it with warm water. Dogs tend to hate their feet being touched and water being sprayed on them, so I understand it will be difficult to hold her still for this. This is usually a two-person job, so if you can have someone help you hold her, then this would be best. Below is a link to a good tutorial about how to restrain her properly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y6CfUKwlQE After flushing the wound, it's best to apply an antibacterial cream to the wound and bandage it. In order to keep the wound clean, it's best to flush the wound 1-2 times a day and gently wipe away any big crusts - make sure not to scrub the wound, because this can make it worse. Apply the antibacterial cream after each flushing. If the flushing is too difficult, the you can alternatively try doing a foot bath with epsom salts for 15 minutes once a day. If the wound starts to swell or have pus oozing from it, then I'd recommend she goes to the vet for treatment. Otherwise, the wound should heal fine over the next 2-3 weeks. I hope that helps and Boca gets better soon.