Why are my dog's paws red and raw after lake or river visits?

She could have allergies or an infection. You could soak her paw in a warm Epsom salt solution and see if that helps. Otherwise, she should be examined by your vet. She may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, and/or a corticosteroid to treat.

It looks like Lillie may have a pododermatitis, or foot infection as there appears to be some redness and moisture in between her toes in the pictures. It could be secondary to trauma, but I typically see it in dogs with allergies. If she will let you soak her feet in Epsom salts for 5-10 minutes daily that may help but ultimately she may need to see a vet for treatment since oral medications are often much more effective. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding King. His paws are red and appear inflamed. This is typically due to allergies. As humans, we inhale allergens such as weeds, grasses, pollens, etc. We will have watery eyes, runny noses, etc. Dogs will experience these symptoms to a certain extent. However, they are out walking through the grass so their paws are most commonly affected. Start by wiping his paws off with a damp rag each time him comes in from outside. This will physically remove some of the allergens. You can also bath his paws with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula. Discourage him from licking the paws (with an e-collar of necessary) as this will only make the inflammation worse. If his paws worsen, he will need to see his veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

Red skin can be caused by several things including parasites, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy, contact allergies or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica or a skin scrape. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Contact allergies are addressed by keeping pets away from things they are allergic to. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the redness should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Luka wear an elizabethan collar if needed. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I would recommend having him stand in an Epson salt bath for 5-10 minutes 2-3 times a day. You'll have to use the tub for a dog of his size, and make sure the water is just lukewarm and that he doesn't drink any. You can give him his dinner piece by piece over 5 minutes to keep his interest. Once you're able to, definitely get him in to the vet to determine the underlying cause of the sores. I hope that helps Chance feel a bit better in the mean time.

It looks like he could have an allergic dermatitis and a possibly an infection. You could soak his paws in a warm Epsom salt solution and see if that helps. Otherwise, he should be examined by a vet for treatment. He might need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, and/or a corticosteroid to treat.

Are you in an area with a lot of snow or very cold? It could be irritation from snow being packed in between the toes. Otherwise a common cause is environmental allergies. They luck enough to cause secondary infections sometimes. I would soak in warm water and Epsom salt baths this weekend. If they look worse or are not improving then he should be evaluated by a veterinarian Monday. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.