We think our puppy hurt his paw... help!?

Question

Our six month old rottie puppy started limping recently. I felt around, and he doesn't react to anything except the pad of his paw being touched.

I'm thinking there is something in it that I can't see. Do you know of any way to get whatever it is out without going to the vet?

Don't get us wrong, we love Diesel dearly, and will take him if we can't fix it, but we also have a budget, and hope to take care of it ourselves if possible.

Any help you can offer is appreciated! :)

To the second answer: I don't know if you read the question or not, but I did say I would take him to the vet. I'm just trying to see if there are any OTHER ideas out there as well. Thank you, though, for taking the time to answer my question.

To piggieperfection: Thank you very much! I will search out some of that and see how it works. (Diesel is not crying or whimpering. He doesn't even seem to mind it, he just limps!) Thanks so much for your helpful answer! :)

I'm getting some very helpful answers! Thank you all so much! I hope Diesel will be back to his normal self in no time!

Answer 1

It might not be something in the actual pad... it could be a sprained toe or broken bone. Or it is totally possible that the dog has a splinter or something else (like a seed) stuck in the skin between the toes.

I would look it over thoroughly myself and give it a week before bringing him in. - Unless it's so bad that you feel the dog is really in a lot of pain. Then you could probably assume it's a break, and call your vet to see what the best course of action is. Sometimes, they would do nothing for a break anyway, so it's worth asking an opinion.

If it is something inside the paw, it could possibly abscess (open up and starts draining). In that case, you would clean it out good, and apply an antibiotic ointment several times a day.
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Here is an article on the subject:

Dogs and cats don't always look before they leap. When they have a hard landing after jumping from a ledge, for example, their feet can get bruised and sore.

Paw swelling usually isn't serious and will clear up in a day or two. If a bone is broken, however, the paw can double or even triple in size, causing excruciating pain.

Cats are more agile than dogs, and lighter, so they are less likely to break bones in their paws. But they do tend to roam outdoors and get into fights. Fight wounds, which often get infected, can cause a very painful swelling called an abscess, says Chaim Litwin, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in Fairfield, Connecticut. An abscessed foot can swell to twice its size overnight. This problem is much more common in cats than dogs, he adds.

Insect bites or stings can also cause your pet's paws to swell, says Valerie Fadok, D.V.M., Ph.D., a veterinary dermatologist and consultant in Denver. You should suspect an insect attack if the paw is sore and slightly firm to the touch. In most cases, the swelling will start to go down within a few hours, she says.

Answer 2

I hope I can help - how long has the pup been limping U do not say but if it's the pad then check with a magnifying glass if U can spot anything- then check if anything is stuck between his 5 toes? in the fur-
There is a possibility that he may have stepped on something hot?
Once it happened to one of my dogs, being furry it was difficult to know but a kid had put a rubber band around its paw , it had swollen up- then again there is possibility that a tiny sliver of glass / thorn could be imbedded- this you will not be able to remove unless you can see it shinning , then you will have to use a forceps ( I doubt you will have that at home)
The last thing is well it does happen! in larger dogs, when they want to get your attention they really make a pretense of limping( I don't think this is the case here)
The final way you can try to maybe relieve the pain is to take a bowl of water with a few drops of Dettol that is warm ( as much as a small child can bear) and soak its paw for a few minutes at a time and see if this helps
Failing which despite everything pl. do go to a vet or a nearby free animal clinic or an animal hospital
Good luck to both puppy and you

Answer 3

First, inspect the area the best you can. If you still cannot find anything take a piece of duct tape and place it over the pad and slowly pull it off. This will normally remove any fine splinters that could get lodged in the pad. Also, look for small cuts. Even the smallest cut can be painful for the dog. If you detect a cut wash it with lukewarm water and mild soap, put some antibiotic ointment on it and wrap it for about three hours. You may need to put a sock on the dogs paw to prevent licking. If you do not see a cut feel around between the pads for ticks, spurs, or anything else that could have gotten stuck. If you still can't find anything take him to the vet.

Answer 4

Try this: make a very strong chamomile tea, or even better, use the chamomile plant by itself (dried flowers, purchasable at some stores), let the liquid cool, and wash the paw with it, thoroughly. It is a strong disinfectant, and might help if there's a splinter or minor wound. However, the best solution is to take him to a vet- a vet has more tools on hand to figure out what exactly is wrong, and treat it. It might not even be really in the paw pad- it might be one of the joints. A vet could find what's wrong easier, and more accurately.

Answer 5

He might have panosteitis,which is basically,growing pains.It is very common in large breed puppies and often resolves itself.There is no specific treatment,but if the dog is in severe pain,anti -inflamatories may be used for short periods of time.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1561&articleid=466

Answer 6

you can try putting some drawing ointment on his paw and wrapping it up so he wont lick it off, drawing ointment is pretty cheap and can be brought from the chemist or a supermarket (also called black ointment) his body should push watever it is out itself with the help of the ointment. as long as it isnt in there too deep... if he isnt crying and only limping then it shouldnt be causing him too much pain so it shouldnt be too deep.
good luck

Answer 7

All, that is so kind of you to treat a little puppy like that...

Simpliest solution:take it to a vet -_-' can't believe you didn't think of that 1. Good luck with ur pup

Answer 8

I don't know, but I'd definitely take him to the vet.

Answer 9

Try soaking his foot in Epsom salt..