Skin Inflammation on the Paws in Dogs

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PetMD Editorial

Published: July 2, 2008

Pododermatitis in Dogs

Pododermatitis is a medical term for skin inflammation, particularly inflammation in the feet or paws. With treatment, prognosis is positive. The disease is more common in dogs than it is in cats. However, if you would like to learn how it affects cats, please visit this page in the PetMD health library.

Symptoms

The following symptoms are commonly seen:

Lameness
Reddened/swollen paws
Painful paws and itchy paws
Fluid buildup in the paws
Small, solid masses
Thickened, raised, or flat top areas
Loss of the top portion of the skin
Discharge from the paws
Inflammation of the soft tissue around the nail

Causes

Bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections can cause this skin inflammation to develop. Other potential causes for it can include cancer, trauma, poor grooming, decreased levels of thyroid hormones, increased levels of steroids present, and irritants from the environment.

While this medical condition can occur in any breed, it is more common in the following:

Diagnosis

In some instances, a skin biopsy is performed to ensure that pododermatitis is brought on by cancer. A thorough skin examination may be done as well.

Treatment

Treatment is generally done on an outpatient basis, and can include foot soaks, hot packing, bandaging, and a hypoallergenic diet. In the event that there is a more serious underlying medical condition, its symptoms will be treated first.

Living and Management

Maintaining healthy habits for the dog will help the medical condition from recurring.

Prevention

Good breeding practices and frequent medical checkups can prevent the recurrence of the condition. However, if the inflammation is occurring because of an allergen, removing it from the dog's environment is recommended.