Dog limping, licking paw, and it looks swollen. What should I do?

Your picture came through. Romeo has a major mass that is ulcerated and looks to be infected. He needs to see a vet right away for proper wound management, pain medication and antibiotics. This is a massive mass that cannot be managed at home without the help of your local vet. Once the infection is controlled then it can be discussed whether this mass can be debulked or not. If it cannot then your vet may recommend amputation of the leg. I am sorry your pet has such a massive tumor and I hope everything works out ok for your pet Romeo. Best wishes and take care.

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!

That red bump in between the toes is suspicious for a grassawn/foxtail. I suggest you have her examined by your vet (not an emergency). In the meantime, you can try soaking the foot in warm Epsom salt water (10 minutes 3 times per day) to hopefully draw out any foxtail that may be under the skin.

Poor Romeo. I would advise to not wrap the toe. I have seen too many owners who applied the wrap too tightly and caused damage to the foot by cutting off the blood supply. I do recommend to significantly restrict his activity. He should not be allowed to walk around the house, go for walks, climb up and down on furniture or run or jump. If he is still limping beyond two days or if he seems extremely painful, I recommend to have him examined sooner. If you notice any swelling on the toe then I would also advise to have him seen sooner. A broken or dislocated toe can get worse if it is not splinted quickly. I hope he starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.

A swollen area could indicate an abscess, a grass seed trapped under the skin or a skin cancer. Your pet needs to be examined by the veterinarian for appropriate treatment, he needs to wear an elizabethan collar at all times to prevent further licking and you need to stop all walks, running and jumping. I hope this helps.

Thank you for the picture of Jameson's toe, it's very helpful. It looks quite red and swollen in the picture. There are a number of things that could cause this, such as a foreign body like a foxtail, an infection, an injury, or even a cancerous growth. He's licking it a lot and favoring it because it's painful to him. Unfortunately there are no OTC pain relievers you can give him, as many human ones are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. He needs to see a vet to have this diagnosed and treated, and I would give his vet a call now to get him an appointment. It would be best for him to see his vet asap. I would also put an Ecollar on him to keep him from licking it, you can buy one at a pet store if you don't have one at home already. I hope this helps!

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!