My dog keeps licking his paw sores. What can I do to stop him?

Yes you can do some treatments at home. I recommend soaking the feet in a warm betadine solution or other antibacterial soap or solution once daily until the lesions are healed. Skin and foot problems can take three to four weeks to resolve. I don’t put topical cream or ointment on the feet as this encourages licking. I recommend using a cone if Oliver does start licking the feet. If this gets worse then systemic antibiotics are indicated. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Oliver.

Wounds on the skin can be caused by a number of things including injuries, parasites such as fleas or ticks, allergies, or even excessive licking. If Coco was licking the area a lot, it is possible that a hot spot has formed causing the wound you see. It is best to prevent him from licking the spot with the use of an Elizabethan (cone) collar. If the spot doesn't heal, worsens, more spots appear, or you see parasites or infection (pus, hot to touch, pain, etc), it is best to seek veterinary care.

Ouch! That does look like a bit of a sore spot. If you have an appointment already scheduled, I would just place an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Bentley to prevent him from continuing to lick the food as licking it can make the spot worse and introduce bacteria/cause an infection in an already inflamed wound. Keeping the sore spot clean and dry with the use of a washcloth is also a good idea until your appointment. If you do see any rapid changes in size, it starts oozing debris badly, or it is painful enough that Bentley can't walk on it, then trying to get in for an appointment sooner is best.

An e-collar (cone) will go a long way in aiding in healing. Keep it on until the wound is completely healed. Limit activity to just leash walks for elimination. Avoid excessive running jumping or rough play. Vetericyn Plus spray (https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/vetericyn-plus-wound-and-skin-care-for-dogs ) may also speed healing. You can find it in the local Petco.

Poor Luca! I actually recommend to use an Elizabethan collar instead of a sock. The sock will hold in moisture and it will make the area more humid which will encourage more bacterial or yeast growth then allowing it to air out. Keeping these lesions open to the air is much better. Have Luca wear the collar anytime he is not being directly supervised. Wash the paw daily with an antibacterial soap and rinse. You can continue the Epson salt soak every other day (rinse well afterwards). After it is dry, you can apply the spray. Make sure to keep his feet clean and dry. Until he is checked out by the vet on Monday, keep the trauma to the paw minimal so no running, jumping and keep his walks minimum and avoid abrasive surfaces such as overly dry grass and rocks. I hope he starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi there. Poor coco. Great job that you have an appointment tomorrow am. For now, I would run to petco or Wal-Mart and grab an e-collar to keep him from licking. That is the most important part. You can lightly soak the area with a warm wash cloth for comfort, and then a cooler one. There aren't any medications unfortunately that we can recommend without seeing him. My guess based on these photos is that in addition to infection, he most likely has some underlying allergies causing him to lick his feet, so definitely discuss allergies with your veterinarian tomorrow. Good luck

Poor baby. I would recommend getting him an ecollar cone to keep him from licking, cleaning the area with a moist washcloth, and applying a.teiple antibiotic. I would then give your veterinarian a call tomorrow for an appointment to be checked out. Good luck