Dog paw wound: Why does my dog get aggressive when I try to treat it?

It's hard to see with all the hair, I assume I'm looking at the top of her paw and it's between two toes. This may not be a traumatic injury, it could be a place that she has licked and scratched because she had a small wound or an insect bite or other irritation between the toes. I recommend keeping it clean with a warm damp washcloth and mild soap, make sure to rinse it completely and apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to keep the skin moist and avoid cracking. I would get it seen by your vet as soon as you can but, as long as she seems otherwise fine, I don't feel this is an emergency.

If you can't treat her at home because she won't let you then you will need to get her to a vet for treatment. They may have to sedate her to provide treatment. If you want to try at home, you can soak the foot in warm Epsom salt water for 5 minutes 3 times a day (if she will let you). This should draw out the infection. The other option is to use this wound spray. She won't like the spray noise, so you can douse a cotton ball with the solution and then wipe it on the wound. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-cat-wound-and-skin-hydrogel ) If she is licking the foot you will need to get her a cone to wear. No matter what you put on this to treat it, if she continues to lick, it won't heal. Remember, the cone must be long enough to go past the end of her nose or she will still be able to lick the foot. You can buy these at your local Petco or other large pet shop. Also, keep her indoors until healed. Hope this helps.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ember. If her wound has been present for several weeks and is increasing in size, then she will need to see her veterinarian. She will likely need an oral antibiotic. In the meantime, stop bandaging the wound to allow it dry out. Be sure to prevent her from licking the area with an E-collar. She likely injured herself as you mentioned, but there other more rare causes of non-healing skin wounds. I hope this information helps!

This does look like an infection and ideally you should take your dog to a veterinarian for an exam and medication against pain and infection. You can try to bathe the foot in very warm epsom salt solution for 10 minutes three times daily which may help the infection or the abscess to ripen, open up and evacuate any untoward infectious material. If the paw does not improve within two to three days or if the paw gets worse you will need to take Chance to your vet.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It depends on the location and severity of the cut as to how it would best be treated. Sometimes they can be closed, other times bandaging may be best. Ideally wounds should be addressed as quickly as possible to allow for optimal healing. Waiting another day may make closing the wound impossible if it's an option. Make sure that Moose cannot lick the wound, this may require an e-collar (lampshade cone of shame). If it is painful or continuing to bleed he should be seen tonight.

Hi there, That's a fairly deep wound and I would recommend it be repaired. I would take her to a veterinarian so they can sedate and suture the wound closed. She also may need antibiotics and pain medications. I hope that helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If your dog is not bearing weight on the foot then this warrants a visit to the vet as the foot must be quite painful and the cut may be deep enough to need antibiotic treatment. The vet will determine this based on their exam.