My dog's paw is swollen and painful. Why won't she put weight on it?

She could have an infection, fracture, or foreign material in her toe. She should be examined by a vet to determine the cause and treat. Your vet can take an xray to help diagnose and then determine the best way to treat. She may need an antibiotic for an infection or she may need a splint if a fracture is found. If you can't get her to a vet and it looks like she could have an infection, you could soak her paw in a warm Epsom Salt solution and see if that helps.

Ouch! Poor Maggie! That swelling around the bite is an indication of infection and looks like Maggie needs antibiotics. It also looks very painful so Maggie needs to go to a veterinarian to have it evaluated. That bite is near a joint so I would take her right away to avoid any serious infections.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It looks like this could be a benign or malignant growth. This is possibly what is causing her pain. 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 her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. They could start pain control medications if she appears to be painful. Good luck and have a good day!

Yes usually there is an entry wound with something stuck in the paw. The picture looks like she has an infection between the toes. This is infected interdigital cysts. It can affect one paw or all four. Often they have some drainage and swelling. I recommend taking Willow to the veterinarian for an exam. They will look for a foreign body in the paw and if it's a paw infection they will prescribe antibiotics. You can soak the paw in warm epsoms salt solution for five to ten minutes. This will draw out the infection and increase the blood supply to speed healing. If Willow is licking this excessively please use a restraint collar so she can't lick the paw. These generally heal quickly with treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Willow.

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!

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I agree with you that Savage's paw does in fact look very swollen. This is likely causing Savage a great deal of pain and discomfort and further evaluation and treatment of this will require veterinary treatment. Your veterinarian would be able to appropriately medicate him for pain control and possibly sedate him so that the paw can be carefully inspected to look for possible reasons that can result in swelling such as a foreign body stuck in the paw. They would be able to proceed with treatment based on findings. Good luck and have a good night!