Swollen Paw Pads

[pixie_meg]

Oberons paw pads in certain areas are swollen. it started Sunday night when we noticed his wrist paw pad had a swelling below it but attached that was pussy. it popped and pus gone, Monday when it was knocked it would bleed reasonably. Today it seems better but now one front paw pad and one hind leg paw pad are inflamed and swollen. And uncomfortable to the touch. We were at the beach Sunday morning, and we've had wet long grass. These are the only things out of the ordinary i can think of. We're off to the vet with him at 11.30. Any idea?

[persephone]

Urk. No grass seeds? Could he have trodden on something spikey/poisonous at the beach? or cut himself on rocks?

Good luck at the vets, it sounds painful .

Edited December 21, 2010 by persephone

[pixie_meg]

Urk. No grass seeds? Could he have trodden on something spikey/poisonous at the beach? or cut himself on rocks?

Good luck at the vets, it sounds painful .

I wouldn't think it'd be something poisonous, but will mention it to the vet. we have grass seeds around but cant see any in his paw. how do they impact?

[persephone]

Grass seeds ( awns from barley grass) will enter the skin.. and move .. causing a small'tunnel' which then becomes infected. The infection may abscess inside.. or pus may leak out of the entry hole. These particular seeds can, if not found, migrate up a leg!!

[Erny]

Aside from the possibility of grass seeds (gotta be a bit unlucky to have them affecting more than one foot at the same time), what about the possibility of interdigital cysts?

This is a picture of my boy's foot pad who went through a bout of interdigital cysts (affecting each foot, starting with just one). They came, were painful, would burst or go down, then come back up again. I had to ease off exercise when they were at their worst or the pressure of him running around would cause them to burst (and yes, they'd bleed a fair bit). My main concern was infection so I was very careful to apply antiseptic after we'd been out (especially if he'd gotten them mucky), I applied Calendula Tea washes frequently and if it seemed suitable at the time, I used Paw Paw Ointment (in part to provide some lubrication as one or more of his toe nails would be rubbing up against the cyst).

Edited December 21, 2010 by Erny

[poodlefan]

Bacterial infection due to damp and heat?

Hope the vet can sort it out.

[sllebasi]

how did you go at the vets???

my dog got an infection once from sand being left in paw area. walking on it then caused some abrasions which got infected.

[pixie_meg]

Aside from the possibility of grass seeds (gotta be a bit unlucky to have them affecting more than one foot at the same time), what about the possibility of interdigital cysts?

This is a picture of my boy's foot pad who went through a bout of interdigital cysts (affecting each foot, starting with just one). They came, were painful, would burst or go down, then come back up again. I had to ease off exercise when they were at their worst or the pressure of him running around would cause them to burst (and yes, they'd bleed a fair bit). My main concern was infection so I was very careful to apply antiseptic after we'd been out (especially if he'd gotten them mucky), I applied Calendula Tea washes frequently and if it seemed suitable at the time, I used Paw Paw Ointment (in part to provide some lubrication as one or more of his toe nails would be rubbing up against the cyst).

what causes interdigital cysts? bacteria?

the vet said the first sore is a cyst but wasn't concerned about the other swelling partcularly. The vet thinks its abrasions from slipping in the wet when running. We'll rest him. I think its likely that he got some bacteria from the mud thats been sitting about. like poodlefan mentioned, them damp and the heat.

[Erny]

what causes interdigital cysts? bacteria?

They can the result of immune mediated issues; allergies; foreign bodies; and yes, bacteria .... to name a few things. I would guess there are more causes, but I'm not familiar with them.

For the past 2 years I've been 'battling' allergy symptoms with my boy and at one point, just when I finally seemed to get the hive outbreaks under control, he broke out into cysts. In part it seemed as though he wasn't tolerating the foods he was eating - we (the naturopath and myself) hypothesised that the toxicity build up from what seemed to be an inability to digest properly was causing the skin eruptions, including the cysts. We saw it as just one other means of the body trying to rid itself of the toxins in his body. I've since had a hypothyroid diagnosis confirmed and now that he is on medication to help thyroid function, it would seem (dare I say it?) that his skin outbreaks are desisting.

You might like to consider things such as diet - I don't know your dog; how long you've had him; whether he generally has a healthy coat or whether you've had other incidental health issues; how long he's been eating the current diet he is on; etc. (and I'm also not a Vet nor a Canine Nutritionist) so I'm not suggesting this is a cause, but only that you give it some consideration before you rule it out.

Also check your dog's nails to make sure that they are not so long (or even so that they are not so short) that they could be digging into his pads to cause the cysts - or even to just make them worse. I had to watch nail length with my boy because of where his cysts were located and for a while it was better for him to have his nails a bit longer than normal so that they weren't digging into the protruding cysts rather than at least just pressing against them.

ETA: When I first noticed the cysts on my boy's feet, they appeared as just slight swellings to the side of and along the outside edge of a toe pad. Then they seemed to become blood filled and angry before finally bursting and going down. Sometimes they would almost disappear but then come back up. I continued the Calendula Tea washes (let his foot stand in a bowl of it for a couple of minutes at a time) frequently, but also with a mind that I didn't want his feet to be continuously wet. Calendula Tea has anti-bacterial agents as well as anti-inflammatory agents.

Edited December 21, 2010 by Erny

[poodlefan]

Aside from the possibility of grass seeds (gotta be a bit unlucky to have them affecting more than one foot at the same time), what about the possibility of interdigital cysts?

This is a picture of my boy's foot pad who went through a bout of interdigital cysts (affecting each foot, starting with just one). They came, were painful, would burst or go down, then come back up again. I had to ease off exercise when they were at their worst or the pressure of him running around would cause them to burst (and yes, they'd bleed a fair bit). My main concern was infection so I was very careful to apply antiseptic after we'd been out (especially if he'd gotten them mucky), I applied Calendula Tea washes frequently and if it seemed suitable at the time, I used Paw Paw Ointment (in part to provide some lubrication as one or more of his toe nails would be rubbing up against the cyst).

what causes interdigital cysts? bacteria?

the vet said the first sore is a cyst but wasn't concerned about the other swelling partcularly. The vet thinks its abrasions from slipping in the wet when running. We'll rest him. I think its likely that he got some bacteria from the mud thats been sitting about. like poodlefan mentioned, them damp and the heat.

Clipping the hair out from between the paws (from underneath) will help with ventillation. A soak in a mild antibacterial solution or Malaseb (if its fungal) may help. Hope its fixed soon.

[pixie_meg]

what causes interdigital cysts? bacteria?

They can the result of immune mediated issues; allergies; foreign bodies; and yes, bacteria .... to name a few things. I would guess there are more causes, but I'm not familiar with them.

For the past 2 years I've been 'battling' allergy symptoms with my boy and at one point, just when I finally seemed to get the hive outbreaks under control, he broke out into cysts. In part it seemed as though he wasn't tolerating the foods he was eating - we (the naturopath and myself) hypothesised that the toxicity build up from what seemed to be an inability to digest properly was causing the skin eruptions, including the cysts. We saw it as just one other means of the body trying to rid itself of the toxins in his body. I've since had a hypothyroid diagnosis confirmed and now that he is on medication to help thyroid function, it would seem (dare I say it?) that his skin outbreaks are desisting.

You might like to consider things such as diet - I don't know your dog; how long you've had him; whether he generally has a healthy coat or whether you've had other incidental health issues; how long he's been eating the current diet he is on; etc. (and I'm also not a Vet nor a Canine Nutritionist) so I'm not suggesting this is a cause, but only that you give it some consideration before you rule it out.

Also check your dog's nails to make sure that they are not so long (or even so that they are not so short) that they could be digging into his pads to cause the cysts - or even to just make them worse. I had to watch nail length with my boy because of where his cysts were located and for a while it was better for him to have his nails a bit longer than normal so that they weren't digging into the protruding cysts rather than at least just pressing against them.

ETA: When I first noticed the cysts on my boy's feet, they appeared as just slight swellings to the side of and along the outside edge of a toe pad. Then they seemed to become blood filled and angry before finally bursting and going down. Sometimes they would almost disappear but then come back up. I continued the Calendula Tea washes (let his foot stand in a bowl of it for a couple of minutes at a time) frequently, but also with a mind that I didn't want his feet to be continuously wet. Calendula Tea has anti-bacterial agents as well as anti-inflammatory agents.

I really hope its not those cysts but it does fit. His coat has always been great but he has intermittent rashy sores(coincides with his heartworm meds, thinking it might be the flavouring). he just got over those.

He eats a raw diet with the occasional treat(makes me also think of the flavourings) and is 15months old. He is otherwise alert and very healthy.