Why does my dog lick his paw after a run and won't let me touch?

I recommend booking an appointment with a veterinarian to have Lexie’s nail evaluated, as it is likely causing her pain, as indicated by the limping. Pain medications meant for humans can be very dangerous (and even deadly) for dogs, so I do not recommend giving any to your pup without consulting with your vet. Your veterinarian can prescribe safe medication to help with the pain, and can clean and treat the injury to help reduce the risk of infection. In the meantime, I recommend putting an e-collar (cone) on Lexie to help prevent her from licking her paw an reduce the risk of infection. I hope Lexie feels better soon!

Poor Chia - yes she has pulled the hard part of her nail off and the photos show she must be painful as she is holding her foot off the ground. I expect she'll try to lick the area which can make things worse so try to prevent her doing this by putting a sock over her foot, using an e-collar or cone if you have one. For first aid you can apply/ clean the toe by soaking it in a bowl of warm water with a couple of teaspoons of salt in - which is antiseptic. You can cover her foot with a dog shoe or boot which are sold at pet stores. For pain I recommend taking her to see her vet tomorrow. Please do not give her any human pain medicines which can be toxic to dogs. The nail will grow back slowly but the red area will be sensitive and sore for a few days until it dries up.

Based on the injuries you are describing I would be concerned that Flick was hit by a car while he was loose. I would recommend taking him to the vet to have his injuries examined. He will likely need pain medication as well as some antibiotics to help his wounds heal. A lidocaine wound spray is ok for short term use as long as Flick doesn’t lick it off. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Loki’s paw is clearly bothering him. It could be he injured the paw, have a foreign body, or a growth. I’d have this checked out by a vet on Monday. To stop him from licking until then, put an Ecollar on him. You can make one at home or buy one at a pet store.

Please don't give any over-the-counter pain medications; they can be toxic to dogs at even low doses and giving them will confound your vet's ability to treat the pain with appropriate medications. The reality is that most of these nail injuries end up getting infected, and even if there's no infection they are exquisitely painful. You can compare it to losing your fingernail completely, but then having to walk on the uncovered cuticle. Patch likely needs to have the area numbed and the remaining nail pulled, then have a very soft/cushioning bandage placed, followed by antibiotics and pain medication. Please take him in to see his vet as soon as you can for this.

I would recommend taking Maru to a veterinarian. It is hard to determine if that was a puncture wound, an abrasion from licking or a growth. After a physical examination, the veterinarian can determine if it is something to be concerned about. Until you can get Maru to a veterinarian I would recommend placing an Elizabethan collar on Maru to prevent him from licking at it. I hope Maru feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It may be split deeply and hurt a bit or otherwise bother your dog. This is why Walt is licking it There also may be a nailbed infection. I suggest you take Walt to your veterinarian for an exam. Your vet can check the nail for a fracture, infection or injury and help so that it does not bother your dog so much or hurt. It may need to be clipped or removed to aid healing. If you have an e-collar at home, put it on Walt so he cannot lick more bacteria into it. Please schedule an exam with your vet.