Beretta28g Posted July 14, 2011 Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 My spaniel has be constantly licking at his paw this morning, and on closer inspection he would appear to have removed the top layer of skin from the top of his paw. Is not bleeding nor has been as far as i can see. I have bathed the "wound" in salt water, and put a small smear of Germoline on. He is now v ery upset as i have put a sock on him to stop him licking it. What should i do? Is this something that i need to take him to the vet about or just keep a eye on. What could have caused this? Many Thanks ATB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenthomas Posted July 14, 2011 Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 My spaniel has be constantly licking at his paw this morning, and on closer inspection he would appear to have removed the top layer of skin from the top of his paw. Is not bleeding nor has been as far as i can see. I have bathed the "wound" in salt water, and put a small smear of Germoline on. He is now v ery upset as i have put a sock on him to stop him licking it. What should i do? Is this something that i need to take him to the vet about or just keep a eye on. What could have caused this? Many Thanks ATB Could it be a grass seed lodged somewhere? Helen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted July 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 I had a good look with a magnifing lense and a bright light, i could not see anything but that does not mean heres not one there that i cant see. Nothing came off when we bathed it. ATB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted July 14, 2011 Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 you've done the right thing stopping him licking it for the moment, grass seeds move under the skin so could be one or a splinter of rape stalk etc If it heats up its a good sign there is a foreign body of some sort in there. Alternatively he has grazed it somehow and because its sore licked it and made it worse. I'd stop her licking and keep a close eye on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted July 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 Thanks. He is now on my dads lap which he doesnt like, not being allowed to lick it wich he doesnt like; one very up set puppy! Ill keep a eye on it, when i washed it and everything it was all nice and pink, no redness there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted July 14, 2011 Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 just to be clear, this is a layer of skin from the top of his paw, i.e. the hairy bit and not the bit he stands on? its just that when you say layer, one of mine takes a layer off a pad regularly when doing cartwheels on concrete slabs - that sorts itself in a day or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted July 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 No, its the fur on top of the paw that is partly missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted July 14, 2011 Report Share Posted July 14, 2011 Sounds to me like an abcess has burst.Chances are he had a grass seed lodged in his paw and it worked its way to the top-resulting in an abcess.With any luck the seed was expelled when it burst,but keep an eye on it and keep it clean/dry for a few days. A little trick a veterinary nurse showed me with grass seeds.Smother the abcess/wound with 'magnesium sulphate' paste then bandage for the day and this (with a bit of luck) should draw the foreign object out along with all the puss and muck.You get the paste from any chemist for around £2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted July 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 UPDATE Well the entire paw is swolen, the two nearest toes being very red. It seems to have popped and is expelling creamy coloured pus with traces of blood. This is proberbily going to be a vet job i think. What do the good people of PW say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siberian Tiger Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 I'd be straight to the vet. Probably need some AB's and steroid injection mate. You'll need to bathe it daily too, I use hibiscrub. Let us know how you get on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted July 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Its getting bathed in salt water, followed by a wipe of TCP and finally a smere of germoline. Vets on Monday i reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 STOP WITH THE ANTISEPTICS. They make things worse and cause irritation in their own right. Use something gentle (like hibiscrub) once to clean a dirty wound but if you keep using it then it damages the newly healing cells and delays healing making things worse (and because they heal slower - paradoxically more prone to infection). In a humnan situation all they use is sterile saline for cleaning wounds. 1 teaspoon in 1 pint of boiled water if fine for maintanance, if it's exuding puss (as in this case) then you can make the salt water stronger (2 tablespoons full in a pint of warm water). Some dogs will stand in it as it seems to give relief. If you havn't already clip the hair from around the wound as it will help things drain, a gentle squeeze is fine. Chances are it's either a grass seed (90%) or an interdigital cyst (9%). Somethimes the seed will be expelled with the puss, but sometimes exploratory surgery is needed to remove them. Pop along to the vets on Monday. You can help by clipping the hair between the toes short, spaniels are prone to these problems with their hairy feet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted July 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Many thanks Apache! Will get a appointment on monday. Many thanks. ATB. Beretta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankeedoodlepigeon Posted July 16, 2011 Report Share Posted July 16, 2011 Our dog had 2 grass seeds removed from her ears last week one had perforated the ear drum. Vet bill £110. They work in but not out so best go see a vet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted July 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 Well chaps this morning according to Apaches advice i made up a pint ofboiling water and 2 tablespoons of salt. I allowed it to cool till i could bare my elbow in it and then put the dogs paw in it. He was a good hound and just stood there with his foot in the water for about ten mins. Well after that i got Dad to hold him and had a good old squeeze with much growling coming from the dog. I managed, with the help of tweezers to remove something that looked like a cross betwen a blackthorn thorn and a squirrels tail. What i mean is a hard point then a bushy/fine hairy tail about 15mm in lengh. After that was out i managed to get some more pus out too. Maybee this is what was causing the problem? ATB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted July 17, 2011 Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 That's the grass seed. It will get better faster with antibiotics but will likely heal without now that is out. It's your call! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted July 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2011 (edited) Ill get him checked out just in case ecetera, although he can be a complete pig and can ru away at top speed with his front paws in his ears he does mean a lot to me. Thanks for all the help Edited July 17, 2011 by Beretta28g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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