My dog is licking his paw, growling, and seems to be in pain. What's wrong?

It looks like he might have chewed a hot spot onto his foot. It may have started with a minor scratch or bug bite or allergies. That itched, he chewed it, which irritated the area, which makes it itch more, and so on. I recommend getting him seen by your vet soon to have his skin checked. After an exam and possibly some lab work, your vet will have a better idea what is going on and how best to treat it.

Based on the injuries you are describing I would be concerned that Flick was hit by a car while he was loose. I would recommend taking him to the vet to have his injuries examined. He will likely need pain medication as well as some antibiotics to help his wounds heal. A lidocaine wound spray is ok for short term use as long as Flick doesn’t lick it off. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Poor Chubby!! With her symptoms coming on so suddenly, it is likely that she stepped on something that has injured her foot. It could be a very mild cut (those can still be quite painful!) or a more serious injury like a small stick still embedded in her foot - and a myriad of other injuries. When these injuries happen, dogs show exactly the signs you are seeing. Compare her injured foot to the other one - if it is swollen I highly recommend you see your veterinarian within the next day or so. If safely possible, try to distract her from her injured foot with a very tasty treat and see if you can look closer to see what is going on. Small shallow cuts, although painful, can heal on their own, you may see a thorn you can remove (but only if Chubby will let you!!). If Chubby just won’t let you look, as long as there is no swelling, watch her for another day to see if she is improving. If she is not getting better in 1-2 days, or if her paw starts to swell or smell bad, definitely seek help from your vet!! Meanwhile, don’t give her any human medication for pain as these drugs can hurt her. I hope Chubby starts to feel better soon. If you decide to take her to your vet, they may decide to sedate her to be able to thoroughly examine her foot and then decide the best course of action. While she is limping, you should try and keep her activity low by leash walking for potty breaks and keeping her in the house otherwise. Good luck!! Thank you for using Pet Coach!

I am very sorry to hear about Simba. Some possible causes for these symptoms could include a wound to the foot such as stepping on a sharp object/thorn/splinter/etc that has punctured the skin or cut the skin; and injury to a toenail where a nail has been split or torn; or a musculoskeletal injury such as a ligmament sprain or a broken bone. I would recommend bringing Simba in for a vet to examine his foot to determine what is causing his symptoms which will help guide his treatment.

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Hi there! Licking and chewing at the paws is typically indicative of an allergy; however, it sounds as though this is a new behavior for Deevo and is isolated to one paw. If he will allow you throughly inspect the paw, looking in-between the toes and paw pads to see if there is anything stuck in the fur or skin. It is also possible that he has come into contact with an irritant. You can wash his paws with a mild soap (Dawn dish soap works well) and see if that helps. If he continues to lick/chew or starts to lick/chew his other paws he should be seen by his regular veterinarian to discuss possible diagnostics and/or treatments for allergies. Hope this helps and Deevo gets better soon.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sunny may be licking his paw due to trauma or a wound that is painful - dogs can sometimes have pieces of grass or small twigs stuck between the toes. Infections or allergic reactions can also occur on the feet, either to a cleaning agent or certain foods. I recommend having Sunny seen by a vet as soon as possible to determine exactly what is going on, especially because he seems uncomfortable. His vet may recommend topical or oral antibiotics, foot soaks, or a diet change. I hope all is well!