My dog won't walk on his paw after being outside. When to see a vet?

I'm so sorry to hear that Reaves and Marilyn are having such a hard time after their hike. Paw pads can take a while to heal and can be very painful. I would recommend having your veterinarian examine them to determine if they need any treatment other than what you are currently doing, to determine which pain medication will help them feel better, and also to determine the best way to protect their feet. Sometimes I will recommend commercial booties while paw pads heal, but sometimes I will teach owners to bandage feet at home if they are severely affected. Good luck! I hope they feel better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

As long as Xander is behaving normally, he can likely wait until your veterinarian is available. Without a physical exam, it is difficult to say what may have happened. he could have strained a muscle, stepped on something or simply stepped awkwardly. Monitor for lameness, lethargy, excessive licking or restlessness. These are symtpoms that should be addressed by your vet. if the paw becomes swollen, very painful or has bleeding/discharge then have Xander seen at the local veternary ER. You can place an e-collar (cone) on him if he is licking. There is nothing OTC that you can safely give. If he develops lameness, restrict his activity to just leash walks for elimination until he sees the vet.

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I’m sorry to hear about Sugar. This could be a number of things including snake bite, bee sting, broken toe/foot, or abscess. I’d recommend seeing your vet as soon as possible for a better diagnosis and the proper treatment. Tonight is ideal. If the swelling continues up the leg or Sugar becomes lethargic, has tremors, or any other worrisome signs, please see an emergency vet immediately. Otherwise, I recommend the following until you can get in tomorrow. Ice- apply an ice pack or frozen veggie bag wrappped in a paper towel or thin cloth. Apply for 5-10 mins every 2-4 hours. This does wonders for both pain and swelling. Epsom salt soak- mix 4 tbsp Epsom salts in 1 cup warm water. Soak his paw in this tonight. This helps with pain, swelling, and if there is something stuck (stinger, thorn, etc). I absolutely do NOT recommend any human pain medications as they are neither safe, nor very effective in animals. They may also interfere with the pain medications that your vet will want to prescribe. Best of luck to you and Sugar!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Crash. If he comes inside licking the paw, I worry about an insect bite or sting or something stuck in his paw such as a piece of plant material like you mentioned. If he is just holding the leg up, the pain could be from higher up in the limb. He could have been excited at the veterinary appointment which allows the adrenaline to over ride the pain he is likely experiencing at home. Is it always the same leg? Some puppies will experience lameness that shifts legs as they grow. If no pain was found in his leg, he could be experiencing neck pain. This can radiate down the leg causes referred pain. If it continues, he should be re-evaluated and may need x-rays to determine the cause of his pain. I hope this information helps!

It could be that Kiba has a piece of ice pierce his paw when walking outside, and it's a very small wound you can't see, or he could have strained a ligament that causes him pain when he walks on it. I would recommend resting Kiba for the next 48 hours. No running, jumping, or playing. Take him out to toilet on a lead only, and bring him right back in when he's done. Carry him out if needed, and put him on a spot with little to no snow. If he still appears painful after this time, then I would take him into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can dictate a treatment plan for it. He may also benefit from some pain medications. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given.

Hi there. It looks like Max may have cut or scratched his paw pad. He also could have burned it if he was walking on hot pavement. I recommend taking him to the veterinarian because it sounds like he is painful. Your veterinarian can prescribe some pain medications to help him become more comfortable. Hope this helps!