What to do if my dog has a swollen paw, fever, and is limping?

If he is weight bearing and limping and not improving with rest, then I would get him seen to see if he has a foreign body or a soft tissue injury at your vet. If he is not wanting to use it at all then it needs to be seen immediately as there may be a fracture or torn ligament.

Inspect her paw for thorns or other foreign bodies, You can also bathe/soak the paw in some warm epsom salt bath, If the swelling does not go down within 48 hrs you need to take her to a vet for an exam. There may be infection and she might need prescription antibiotics.

I'm sorry to hear that Diamond isn't doing well. There are many potential reasons for lameness and lethargy. The first thing that comes to mind would be a tick-related illness such as Lyme disease. Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses can cause significant joint inflammation, fever and general malaise. I would ensure that Diamond has easy access to food and water and that you offer him some yummy options such as low-sodium chicken broth to drink and boiled chicken to eat. You can also try applying a cool compress to his swollen paw. If these ministrations are not successful and Diamond continues to be lethargic and inappetant, I would strongly recommend that you have him seen by a veterinarian. Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses are relatively easy to diagnose and are treatable. Other potential causes for his symptoms would be an injury, infection or cancer. Your veterinarian will be able to determine what is going on.

Swelling and fever are hallmarks of inflammation which may result from infection or severe inflammation. please have her assessed by a vet as soon as possible in order to guide the safest and most appropriate treatment

Hi Carel! If Bodhi was my dog, I would have him seen by a vet for this problem. It's concerning that his paw is still swollen, and he is having pain if the area is tender when you palpate the paw. I recommend calling the vet in the morning to make an appointment to have him seen. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

I cant see anything obviously wrong with the pads like a wound or penetrating injury. Have a really good look and press the paw all over. Don't worry about opening her toes, she will yelp a bit but you need to have a good luck. If she is incredibly sore or tries to bite you stop. It could be that she has simply bruised the paw or sprained a ligament when she was out. If you can't find any wounds or damage on the paw I would let her rest it overnight. You can see if it's any better in the morning. If it's no better or worse, or if you find a sizeable wound or infection, take her to the emergency vet. Otherwise see how she gets on and reduce exercise for a while.

It sounds like it is infected. You could soak his paw in a warm Epsom salt solution and see if that helps. He should also be examined by a vet as he will probably need an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory to help treat the problem.