Have you discovered that your dog has a swollen paw? You may see reddish sores that your dog licks.
Sometimes swollen paws can also be accompanied by severe pain and your dog will not want to move much or will visibly limp.
What to do in these cases and what you have to pay attention to, I will tell you here.
Causes of a swollen paw in dogs
If your dog has a swollen paw and it feels warm, this indicates an infection. If the paw becomes infected, treatment with antibiotics is necessary. But a foreign body can also have caused the swelling of the paw.
You should definitely visit a veterinarian who will make the right diagnosis and initiate the appropriate therapy.
1. Inflamed bunions
One reason for swollen paws can be one Inflammation between the pads be. This is often not visible at first glance.
Perhaps your dog had a small injury on its paws that has now become infected. Especially in winter, the bales can crack because the Sidewalks often sprinkled with salt and the dry heating air additionally irritates sensitive areas.
2. Foreign objects stuck in the skin
In the summer months it can happen that dogs catch awns while walking.
Especially between the toes, these are often not immediately noticeable, but can lead to one painful inflammation to lead.
3. Swollen paw after bandage
If your dog had to wear a bandage because of a paw injury, the paw may become swollen and very warm. If this happens, there may be inflammation in the paw.
However, it can also be that the bandage does not fit properlyt and therefore liquid accumulates.
4. Swollen paws after surgery
If wound water accumulates after an operation, swelling can occur. But also inflammation is after surgery cannot be ruled out.
5. Dog has an insect bite on its paw
Dogs can also get bitten by insects.
Your dog has just raged across the meadow when it steps on a bee or wasp and gets stung. This can quickly lead to swelling of the paw.
Swollen paws in dogs – what to do?
Inflammation of the paws is called pododermatitis. This can have various causes, such as an injury, foreign bodies, parasites or an infection.
In some cases, it can quickly become a bacterial infection come. Therefore, good observation is important.
But even if there are other reasons for your dog’s swollen paw, you should not take this lightly.
Good to know:
Your dog may exhibit different behaviors through pain. Therefore, carefully look for the cause of the swelling.
1. Remove debris and clean paw
If you find that your dog has a foreign object in its paw, remove it if possible. Before doing this, however, you should clean the paw.
You can easily remove small splinters yourself with tweezers.
You should then carefully clean the injury. For example, you can use a diluted solution with Betaisadona. A hydrogen peroxide solution can also be used.
After that, you should bandage the wound depending on the size of the injury.
2. Bandage the paw
If you have discovered an open wound on your dog’s paw, you can dress it up.
This prevents dirt from getting into the wound and your dog from constantly licking or nibbling on it.
If your dog has a small wound and you just want to prevent him from licking the injury, you can also put a stocking on him.
3. Ointments
If your dog has gotten a big paw from a bump, a bruise or a failed jump, you can rub Traumeel ointment or gel on it.
You can also use it for minor paw injuries Wound ointments with zinc (e.g. zinc ointment) as these have an anti-inflammatory effect.
4. Cooling
In addition to other measures, you can also cool a swollen paw. Especially in summer, the paws can swell due to the hot ground.
But cooling can also help after an insect bite.
You can then rinse your dog’s paws with cool water.
Then you wrap ice cubes in a washcloth or towel and place the affected paw on it.
This also works with cold packs. However, be careful that your dog does not chew on it.
As a home remedy, one is often used Curd pack for cooling recommended. However, the challenge here is to keep your dog from licking the curd off his paw again.
5. Homeopathy for the dog
If you like to use homeopathic remedies, there are also different options.
After insect bites, you can give your dog the homeopathic remedy Apis D200 to help, for example.
Arnica globules are said to have a supporting effect on swelling caused by an accident.
When should I see a vet?
Small wounds usually do not need to be checked by the veterinarian.
The situation is different if you cannot remove a foreign body or your dog visibly severe pain has.
Even if your dog has one large splinter or a deep cut in the paw, you should rather visit the vet.
If there is no improvement in the paw within a day, you should also have it examined.
The same applies if you find that your dog’s condition is deteriorating.
Can I prevent a swollen paw?
With a daily check of paws of your dog, you can quickly determine whether it has sustained a minor injury or a splinter. In this way you can prevent swelling caused by inflammation.
In winter, you should clean your dog’s paws after the walk clean with clear water. This prevents cracking from the salt and can prevent inflammatory wounds.
Since the hot ground can irritate their paws or cause burns, you should not let your dog walk on the asphalt in the scorching heat in the summer.
Conclusion
A swollen paw in a dog can have many different causes. Some of these can be remedied quickly and are of no further concern.
However, if your dog shows severe pain with a swelling or you can’t determine the cause of the swelling, you should A veterinarian’s opinion to be on the safe side catch up.
Why has your dog ever had a swollen paw and what helped it? Tell me in the comments.