My dog's front paw is sore and he keeps licking it. What's wrong?

It's hard to say if Spot started licking the paw because of allergies or a wound. Excessive licking of the paws can cause secondary trauma to the skin and pads. Pads can take 6-8 weeks to completely heal, so preventing licking and protecting the pad is the best treatment. If the skin between the toes is also affected, I would recommend having Spot examined by a a vet to determine if there is an active infection. Allergies can cause paw licking, but it is generally on 2 or 4 feet, so I think it is less likely in this case.

Wounds on the skin can be caused by a number of things including injuries, parasites such as fleas or ticks, allergies, or even excessive licking. If Coco was licking the area a lot, it is possible that a hot spot has formed causing the wound you see. It is best to prevent him from licking the spot with the use of an Elizabethan (cone) collar. If the spot doesn't heal, worsens, more spots appear, or you see parasites or infection (pus, hot to touch, pain, etc), it is best to seek veterinary care.

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!

Ouch! That looks pretty uncomfortable. I would take him in to see your vet for wound care and possibly antibiotics or a topical treatment to help him heal as quickly as possible. My may have gotten a sting or stepped on something sharp enough to puncture his pad and if he chews too aggressively, he'll make it worse.

Ouch! That does look like a bit of a sore spot. If you have an appointment already scheduled, I would just place an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Bentley to prevent him from continuing to lick the food as licking it can make the spot worse and introduce bacteria/cause an infection in an already inflamed wound. Keeping the sore spot clean and dry with the use of a washcloth is also a good idea until your appointment. If you do see any rapid changes in size, it starts oozing debris badly, or it is painful enough that Bentley can't walk on it, then trying to get in for an appointment sooner is best.

Sores on the paws can occurr for many reasons. If it is a chronic issue, underlying allergies or a thyroid disorder are likely the issue. These conditions weaken the skin’s natural defenses and allow bacteria and yeast to set up opportunistic infections. The photo of Sammy‘s foot shows a round, pink lesion. It almost looks like some sort of a mass from the picture. I recommend to have Sammy visit his veterinarian to check that area out. If it is a mass, it should be aspirated as skin masses that look this way are suspicious for a cancerous skin growth called a mast cell tumor. However there are benign skin masses that look very similar as well. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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!