My dog is limping with a swollen, licked paw. What should I do?

Hello! I'm sorry to see that your dog is having some trouble with her foot. It appears to moist and irritated between the toes, and there is also some swelling around the nail beds of two of her nails. I am very concerned that this may be a skin infection, and possibly also a nail bed infection (which can sometimes be tricky to treat because of how deep the nail goes into the toe). I do not recommend continuing the Zymox spray without the advice of a veterinarian, as it contains hydrocortisone (a steroid). Steroids will decrease inflammation, but they also suppress the immune system. I strongly suggest that you bring your dog to visit the vet as he or she may require antibiotics and/or antifungals to treat any potential infection she has. In the meantime, you can try soaking her foot in cool, mildly soapy water, followed by thorough drying. If your dog is licking the foot, I recommend placing an Elizabethan collar (E-collar) on his or her neck to prevent further licking, which can exacerbate inflammation and contamination with bacteria and yeast. At the vet's office, they will perform a physical exam, and most likely they will take a sample of skin cells and discharge from between those toes and around the nail bed for examination under a microscope. This will help them determine what treatment will work best. They may also give your dog some pain relievers or anti-inflammatories so that he or she is more comfortable. Good luck, and I hope that your dog feels better soon!

No, please do not give Milo aspirin. It causes GI ulcers and bleeding in dogs, and is not safe to give. I'd gently wash his paw with warm water, wrap the paw with a bandage, and cover it with a sock to keep it clean and dry. You can tape the sock to his leg to keep it on, but don't tape it too tightly. Put an Ecollar on him to keep him from licking at it. You can make one at home, and I will put a link below on how to do it. Change the bandage tomorrow, and if the nail is lifted, make an appointment with the vet on Monday for it to be treated. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

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!

Poor Layla! If she is still limping I would make an appointment to have her seen by your vet. She may have injured her nail(s) as you described, or she may even have some soft tissue swelling/ irritation or a fracture. If there is a stick/ splinter/ other foreign object in her paw the vet can help remove it and treat it to help prevent infection. Pain medications meant for humans can be very dangerous (and even deadly) for dogs, so I do not recommend giving any to Layla without consulting with your vet. I recommend keeping her in a crate or in a room where she can't run/ jump on anything and only taking her out for very short bathroom breaks until she is no longer limping. Make sure she's on a leash so she can't run and make things worse.

It sounds like it is infected. You could soak his paw in a warm Epsom salt solution and see if that helps. He should also be examined by a vet as he will probably need an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory to help treat the problem.

Poor Maggie. I'm wondering if she injured herself running outside. You can wait until Monday to have her seen. Until then, rest her. No running, jumping, or playing. Take her out to toilet on a leash, and bring hr right back in when she's done. Take her into the vet first thing Monday. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can dictate a treatment plan for it. She may also benefit from some pain medications, which the vet can prescribe. Please do not give her any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. I hope this helps!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. When dogs are 'non-ambulatory'- not walking on a leg, this is usually a sign of significant pain. Also, swelling is concerning for either a significant injury (fracture/dislocation), an infection or abscess (pocket of pus), or in older animals we worry about cancers. I would recommend having Swayde seen by a vet to see if anything serious is going on, and would recommend x-rays. Best of luck with Swayde.