My dog has a red lump between his toes. When should I see a vet?

It could be a cyst. It could also be a result or a foreign body such as a splinter or grass awn. Unless he he very painful or lethargic. It probably isn't an emergency. Of course, the sooner treatment is started, the sooner he will heal up. Keep the site clean and dry. Use an e-collar (cone) to prevent licking until he sees the vet.

Apparently the lump is either itchy or painful, or your dog would not be licking it constantly. Lumps between the toes or pads can be caused by a foreign body , such as a thorn or grass ear, being stuck in the skin and causing infection. It could also be an infected interdigital cyst, or a tumor. I suggest you make an appointment with your veterinarian on Monday to have the paw examined and the foreign body removed/cyst evacuated or treated or the tumor biopsied, whichever applies. Your vet can prescribe medications to reduce pain and clean this up in such a way that it may not bother your dog so much. If you have an e-collar at home, put it on Monty so he cannot lick the area and aggravate the condition.

If he is walking well and not painful and there is no discharge then you can watch it to see if it changes. If he licks it or it changes in size and has a discharge then he does need to be seen but not as an emergency. It can sometimes be from a grass awn or puncture or bite

It could have an allergic component or be an interdigital cyst. A closer physical exam and possibly x-rays of the paw would be recommended. Ruling out a foreign body (grass seed, awn, foxtail, etc) or tumor would also be recommended. If your veterinarian will not pursue a more definitive diagnosis, consider a different vet in the practice or a different clinic entirely. Discuss allergy testing, hydrolyzed diets, food elimination trials and even antihistamine use with the vet. It looks like Cleo will need antibiotics once again anyway. Use an e-collar (cone) to prevent licking which can delay healing and may introduce infection.

This is either a tumor, or infection. Infections are common in this area, because things like thorns and grass awns can get stuck in-between the toes. Tumors are a possibility in this area as well. We worry about certain types of tumors on the toes, because they tend to spread easier than others. Since Toby is also acting lethargic, I am more worried about cancer, or a systemic infection. Considering this, it's best to have Toby seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible in the next day or two. The vet will be able to quickly narrow-down the cause of this and start providing treatment to make him feel better. They will also be able to give you various diagnostic and treatment options. I hope that helps and Toby feels better soon.

It appears to be an interdigital cyst. Typically they get infected easily and are usually the result of allergies or a puncture or foreign body such as a grass awn or splinter. You can try to soak it in warm water but you normally have to do antibiotics to clear it or have it flushed out.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. There is no way of knowing what it is just based on its appearance. Common tumors in this region include melanomas, squamous cell carcinomas, mast cell tumors and soft tissue sarcomas, among others. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good night!