Sore paw, how to treat?!

[Bringonthesunforthewashing]

My chihuahua has been licking one of his paws.

It’s really sore! How would you treat?

Salt water? I have googled but not got anywhere!

It must be hurting as he is reluctant to let me see it bless him

It’s red and inflamed, can’t remember how to post a pic

I would take him to the vet.

I can’t do that until tomorrow, can I bathe in normal salt water?

I would take him to the vet. It could be a stone between his toes ( a teeny tiny stone!), a cut between the toes or on his pad, or a problem with a toe nail. A vet will be able to determine the problem and put a dressing on if needed so he isn’t constantly licking and preventing healing.

I wouldn’t try to do anything, especially as he is so reluctant to let you. I don’t think a few dabs of salt water will do much before the vet sees him.

( my grandad would have smothered in in germolene which was what his poor dogs got given for every external ill. I am not recommending it!)

Take him to the vets if you can.

My dog has sore paws sometimes. We use hibiscrub which you can buy from boots. Mix it with water and soak. It really helps him but he has an issue that is resolved by that. That will help him with infection but you need to address the cause.

I wait til he's asleep and get a torch and stare at his foot. Sometimes I'll get a feel in but he's too grumpy.

Yes you can bathe in cool boiled water and salt. Or diluted Hibiscrub (just dilute with water until very pale pink). If you can't get near it and have a clean spray bottle handy, or an empty syringe, try and spray the salt water or Hibiscrub solution on it when he's tired/sleepy/not looking.

He should be fine until you can see a vet.

You could mix cooled boiled water and salt in a clean plastic cup and bathe. Don't use anything with dettol and then see what vet says.

Have you checked his teeth? Ddogs can try and transfer pain via chewing their feet..

Could be any of the above or other issues. salt water sounds a good option if he lets you bathe it while avoiding walks and waiting for vet appointment. My previous dog had to have his paw pad removed due a growth causing bleeding and pain when he was 12. He recovered really quickly and lived to 17.

Matted fur between the pads? Can get so hard it's like walking on a stone.

Yes you can use salt water. Dissolve a little in warm water, let it cool to lukewarm. Put it in an old cup or one of your dog bowls. Hold him & dangle his paw in the water for a few minutes, do it several times a day till you can get to the vets or it heals naturally. It could be a little cut on a pad, an interdigital cyst or a claw problem. Will he not let you have a good look?

You need to check there's nothing in it like pine needles or a tick or anything else really .We use leucillin spray which is brilliant stuff and doesn't sting but it's a good idea to get a vet to look at it first just in case there is something needing removed because if there is, it will never heal until it's taken out.

Check if it's a claw or if there's something stuck in it.

Salt water baths x4 a day and a boot on for walks which you can pick up at pets at home.

My dog recently had a sore paw pad and that was the vets advice.