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If your dog is limping after a walk in a beautiful field or along a peaceful trail, you might be concerned that something’s up. Injuries, insect bites, and foxtails can all affect your pet’s paws and cause swelling and limping.
Here’s what the team at True Care Veterinary Hospital wants dog parents to know about paw swelling and the reasons behind it.
Common Causes of Dog Paw Injury
There are several different things that can cause your dog’s paws to swell and be in pain. Four common causes include injuries, foxtails, insect bites, and infections.
Injuries
A cut, scrape, burn, torn nail, or object embedded in a laceration can all cause your dog’s paw significant pain. Paw injuries are especially common in pups that spend a lot of time playing outside on hot pavement, sharp debris, or uneven, wild terrain such as that found on hiking trails.
If you notice any limping, licking, visible swelling, or bleeding, an injury might be at the root of the cause.
Foxtails
Foxtails may have a quaint name, but they are anything but benign. Foxtails are sharp seed heads of certain grasses. If your pup runs through a field of this grass during a hike, these seed heads can and will latch onto your dog’s fur and burrow into the skin.
Once they’re buried under your pet’s skin, foxtails can migrate to other areas of the body and wreak plenty of havoc. Get into the habit of checking between your dog’s toes, along her coat, and around her ears after any foray into a field of foxtails.
Insect Stings
An insect sting or bite to your dog’s paw can cause sudden swelling, redness, and pain. Most of the time, insect bites ease up after a few days and stop causing issues.
But some can ignite allergic reactions in your furry family member. Keep an eye out for unusually puffy paws and redness that feels hot to the touch. If you notice these symptoms, a veterinary visit is in order.
Infections
Anytime your pet’s skin barrier is broken—be it from a foxtail, an insect bite, or an injury—bacterial and fungal infections can develop.
These often come with telltale signs, including noticeable redness and swelling, discharge, a foul odor, and a pup who won’t stop licking his paws. Infections generally require veterinary evaluation and treatment, so it’s important to reach out to your veterinarian for help if you think your pup has developed an infection.
Treatment for Dog Paw Swelling at True Care Veterinary Hospital
Our skilled team at True Care Veterinary Hospital can help ease your pet’s paw pain, removing any foreign debris, prescribing antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medications, and providing pain relief solutions and guidance for taking care of wounds.
Reach out to our team by calling (732) 677-2180 today if you have any concerns at all about limping, swelling, insect bites, or paw injuries.