My cat's paws are red, swollen, licking after dog flea shampoo. Why?

Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent further licking. You can soak the paw in an Epsom salt foot bath for 10-15 minutes daily. Make sure the paw is completely dry afterwards. A soak in diluted chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) may also provide some relief.

It's possible there could be some soap stuck causing irritation of the paws, or even an allergic reaction from the shampoo/bathing. Yeast infections, fungus and bacteria and even some tumors, can also take hold between the toes where it tends to remain moist. Keeping an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Kilo and thoroughly washing the paws with a clean washcloth may help, however if the area doesn't heal up, remains irritated, or worsens, having a vet take a look is best.

Hi, it could be that Rocky has a yeast that has overgrown on the skin and it is causing some dermatitis. You could try bathing his feet once or twice a day with a shampoo that will help with itchiness and keeping this Yeast under control. In the UK we use this particular shampoo a lot https://amzn.to/34Vhepr . Hope this helps !

Hi there! I'm sorry to hear that VooDoo has a bum foot. Irritation and infection from licking can very well cause swelling and irritation like this, and KetoHex alone probably won't be enough to get the swelling down if he's still able to lick it. I highly recommend that you put an e-collar (also known as a cone) on VooDoo so that he can't get to the paw. I know it's rough on them, but they don't know not to lick, and he'll just wind up making his paw worse and worse. That being said, if the swelling doesn't go down after he hasn't been able to lick it for a while, I suggest re-visiting the vet to see if there could be anything stuck in the skin of his paw, like a tiny thorn. I have seen swelling like this caused by a foreign object in the past, and sometimes they can be very hard to see. The vet may also be able to prescribe some anti-inflammatories that will help with the swelling and pain (do not give anything over-the-counter as they could be dangerous to VooDoo). It is also possible that the swelling is being caused by a tumor, but considering VooDoo's age, I highly doubt that this is the case. Good luck, and I hope that VooDoo's foot feels better soon!

You can call the vet and ask about using an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs if this does not interfere with the new protein. Prevent him from licking the feet by having him wear an elizabethan collar at all times. Do not walk him and make sure that he is only walking on soft surfaces. You can wash the feet daily with soap and rinse well. Once it is dried, you can apply a dab of organic coconut oil and rub it in well. Make sure he does not lick this as it can cause GI upset. You may also call your veterinarian and ask about a medication like Apoquel or Cytopoint which will help with itching the most. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Red skin can be caused by several things including parasites, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy, contact allergies or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica or a skin scrape. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Contact allergies are addressed by keeping pets away from things they are allergic to. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the redness should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Luka wear an elizabethan collar if needed. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It is certainly abnormal. If Lola is eating and drinking normally and has a normal activity level, it could probably wait until the morning. But since I can't do an examination, I can't tell you for sure or not that it is emergent. You will have to use your best judgement.