My dog's paw is raw and inflamed from licking. What to do before vet?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

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.

That may be an infection. It's clearly bothering your dog because she is licking it. I would take her into a vet in the morning to have this diagnosed and treated. Tonight, put an Ecollar on her to keep her from licking it. You can make one at home. http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

Based on the picture it could either be something called acral lick granuloma it it could be some sort of tumor. Acral lick granulomas are deep infections that usually require oral antiantibiotics and sometimes steroids and you have to break the lick cycle. I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. Once there is a diagnosis you can make a treatment plan. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon, Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Poor Jesse James! This is quite irritated! I would recommend bringing him in to see his vet to be sure he doesn't need a systemic antibiotic or anti-inflammatory at this point. In the meantime, I would put an e-collar on him (cone shaped collar) and you can clean the area with a mild soap and apply an antibiotic ointment and hydrocortisone creme.

This sounds like pododermatitis. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/pododermatitis-in-dogs ) The first thing you need to do is stop him from licking. No matter what you use to treat him with, this will not resolve as long as he continues licking. You will need to get him an Elizabethan (cone) collar until the feet are healed. I suggest you try these medicated wipes. If no improvement after treating for 10 days or so then he needs to go back to the vet for some testing. ( https://www.allivet.com/p-5393-douxo-chlorhexidine-3-ps-pads-for-dogs-and-cats-30.aspx?SearchTerm=duoxo%20pad+Auto )

The most you can do at home is to place an e-collar (cone) on Gracy Kay to prevent further licking and to limit her activity to leash walks for elimination. We would not (and legally cannot) recommend any medications in the absence of a physical exam. She needs to be seen by a veterinarian for a definitive diagnosis and treatment. X-rays may be indicated to rule out fractures, tumors or foreign bodies. Any treatment will depend on the diagnosis.