My dog has an irritated, pus-filled sac between his toes. What to do?

Hello! I'm sorry to see that your dog is having some trouble with her foot. It appears to moist and irritated between the toes, and there is also some swelling around the nail beds of two of her nails. I am very concerned that this may be a skin infection, and possibly also a nail bed infection (which can sometimes be tricky to treat because of how deep the nail goes into the toe). I do not recommend continuing the Zymox spray without the advice of a veterinarian, as it contains hydrocortisone (a steroid). Steroids will decrease inflammation, but they also suppress the immune system. I strongly suggest that you bring your dog to visit the vet as he or she may require antibiotics and/or antifungals to treat any potential infection she has. In the meantime, you can try soaking her foot in cool, mildly soapy water, followed by thorough drying. If your dog is licking the foot, I recommend placing an Elizabethan collar (E-collar) on his or her neck to prevent further licking, which can exacerbate inflammation and contamination with bacteria and yeast. At the vet's office, they will perform a physical exam, and most likely they will take a sample of skin cells and discharge from between those toes and around the nail bed for examination under a microscope. This will help them determine what treatment will work best. They may also give your dog some pain relievers or anti-inflammatories so that he or she is more comfortable. Good luck, and I hope that your dog feels better soon!

This looks like a local abscess from a bite wound or an insect bite or if there is a mass there it could have been a cyst that got infected. If he is licking it, I recommend to place a cone collar to prevent him from doing that. Also I would clean it with a mild anti-bacterial soap and water. You can try putting some neosporin on it but if it isn't improving, you will likely need to see your vet for an exam and some oral antibiotics to get rid of the infection. I hope this helps.

The bump you are seeing could be a mass, or it could be a skin lesion caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, dietary or environmental allergies or sensitivities, or could be a combination of the above. I recommend making an appointment to have your dog seen by your veterinarian to help determine the cause of the bump you’ve noticed and to make sure it is treated appropriately. The vet will likely want to look at a sample from the area under the microscope to determine what is causing the bump and to provide treatment. . In the meantime, if he is licking the area, I recommend putting an e-collar/cone on him to help prevent licking and reduce the risk of infection.

It could have an allergic component or be an interdigital cyst. A closer physical exam and possibly x-rays of the paw would be recommended. Ruling out a foreign body (grass seed, awn, foxtail, etc) or tumor would also be recommended. If your veterinarian will not pursue a more definitive diagnosis, consider a different vet in the practice or a different clinic entirely. Discuss allergy testing, hydrolyzed diets, food elimination trials and even antihistamine use with the vet. It looks like Cleo will need antibiotics once again anyway. Use an e-collar (cone) to prevent licking which can delay healing and may introduce infection.

I can’t tell exactly what this is with the picture alone but a draining wound on the foot warrants an examination by a veterinarian. It could be an infection/abscess and the location (being so close to the ground) can cause the wound to become dirty and soiled, making the infection worse. Or, there could be a mass present and if this is the case, it would need to be removed as soon as possible. In the meantime, until you can get to your vet, keep the area clean and dry and try to prevent Rex from licking the area. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. What toy are describing could be a sore from a puncture secondary to a thorn or something sharp, a bug bite or ingrown hair. I would recommend applying a topical medication such as zymox topical ointment and apply to the area until resolved. If there is no improvement or the area worsens then I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at this for further testing and treatment recommendations. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Based on the pictures that you sent, what you are seeing appears to be what we call pododermatitis. Oftentimes we will see these swollen areas in between the toes on Bulldogs especially. Many times a topical ointment, anti-inflammatory and oral antibiotics are needed to treat this. I would suggest having a veterinarian examine this to see if it needs any antibiotics or not. If you are unable to get to your vet right away, I would suggest using zymox topical ointment and malacetic conditioning spray, both of which can be found online. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available by phone or text based consultation if needed.