My dog's paw is punctured from a stick. Is it infected? What to do?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Answering your questions: 1. It does look like infection. It is not uncommon to see skin infection or small abscesses in this area in dogs. 2. The best way to go will be cleaning the paw twice a day with iodine solution. Also, you need to clean it after each walk (could be just with water) You need to dry the paw after each cleaning with a towel. You should make sure that your Simba is not licking the paw, you may have to use a head collar. Apple cider vinegar is not going to help, there is no need to use it. 3. If this treatment is not effective and there is no improvement within 48hrs, you should take Simba to your local vets. Good luck.

Thank you for using PetCoach. I recommend a veterinary visit for Max. It appears he may have an infection between his paw pads. This may require topical treatments such as soaks or medicated shampoo or sometimes systemic medications. Here is more info https://dermvettacoma.com/pododermatitis/

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear this. Dog attacks can be quite stressful. The main problem with bite wounds is that you have to let the wounds declare themselves before knowing exactly what is going to happen at the end. It sounds like Zara's wound got infected and has now formed an abscess. She can develop a fever from this and this can make her feel quite sick. Also, it would be ideal to know the true extent of her injuries. For this reason, I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Your veterinarian would be able to prescribe medications for pain control and also antibiotics to treat her infection which is the only way it can resolve. Good luck! Keeping my fingers crossed for a speedy recovery.

Yes the wound looks like it may be infected. Underlying tissues are exposed and immediate check up is required to avoid further complications. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It seems like you have been doing a good job so far. However, just like you pointed out, there may be a foreign body stuck in there or something else causing an infection. I recommend that you have Tank evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and treat accordingly. Antibiotics can be started and they can also check to see if there is something stuck there that they can remove to provide comfort and also prevent the infection from reoccurring. Good luck and have a great day!

Vets are still seeing pets for serious issues or medical emergencies, so it is a good idea to contact yours to see if you can get Gabber in for care and started on some antibiotics as needed. Until you can, keeping the wounds clean and dry and trimming back the fur and using an antiseptic such as a chlorhexidine or antiseptic cleaner can help reduce debris in the wound. You will also want to put an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Gabber to keep him from licking his paws to help reduce irritation and inflammation.

I'm sorry to hear that Maya seems to have an infection. Infections can occur between the toes and between the paw pads, often as a result of underlying allergies. This can lead to redness, discharge, and itchiness of the affected area. Foot soaks with antiseptic solutions, such as diluted chlorhexidine or diluted betadine may be helpful. However, some paw pad infections also require oral antibiotics and anti-itch medication, requiring a trip to the vet. The main concern at this point is that Maya's left eye is now looking abnormal. Eyes are fairly delicate structures, so any changes like redness, discharge, or squinting, should be addressed urgently. It is possible that her eye changes could be related to irritation from underlying allergies, but corneal ulcers or trauma to the eye (often self-trauma from scratching) are also possible. I recommend putting an e-collar (cone) on Maya to prevent any scratching or rubbing of the eye, and then taking her to the vet urgently for evaluation of both her eye and paw problems. I hope this helps and that she's feeling better soon!