My dog's infected paw is worsening on antibiotics. How soon?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Boston Terrier | Male | neutered | 1 year and 2 months old
My dog has been limping for 4 days. The area between fingers on his paws looks red and very infected. We have been to the vet two times already. First he told us that it was a blister and gave cream. Yesterday he said that it is an infection and already prescribed antibiotics. The paw seems to get worse every day. There is brown discharge and the paw is swollen. Fingers also get stuck during the night and its very painful to take them apart. Should antibiotics help? If yes, how soon?
3 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on September 11th, 2017
Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Poor Archie seems to have a case of pododermatitis, an inflammatory condition sometimes associated with allergies. It may, indeed take a few days for the antibiotics to kick in. Hopefully, he is on an oral antibiotic, but I will also recommend a topical one, as well. This would involve bandaging up the foot so the antibiotic does its job. You can talk to your vet about some pain medication too. In the meantime, soak the foot in warm water & dilute betadine or 2% chlorhexidine. 1/4 cup of the solution in a cup of water should do it. Try to soak the paw for 5-10 minutes 3 times a day, rinse & dry the foot. This will help in the healing process. Hope Archie is doing better soon. Take care.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
-
Published on December 3rd, 2017
Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Max! The most common cause of pododermatitis (interdigital and paw infections) is allergies. It is best to start working up allergies in Max with your Vet: trying a novel protein diet (getting him off a chicken based diet and trying a venison or all fish) or a prescription hydrolyzed diet), allergy testing, and trying apoquel or cytopoint. Then the infection needs to be treated. Usually yeast and/or bacterial overgrowth is the cause. Your vet needs to diagnosis if it is both or one or the other. Then oral antibiotics and/or antifungals are prescribed for 3 or more weeks. You can try bathing the feet in a medicated shampoo every 203 days and leave the lather on for 10 mins of contact time before rinsing. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27234 The best thing for Max is to see a Vet. I hope this helps and I wish Max a speedy recovery!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
-
Published on September 16th, 2017
Yes, continue the treatment as directed until all of the antibiotics are gone. Sometimes dogs need an additional ten days for these toe infections to fully resolve. Bathing the feet in a medicated shampoo once or twice a week also helps heal the sores more quickly and the washing will remove the dead skin so the new skin will come in better and it will reduce the foot licking if Archie is licking his feet. Make sure to rinse the feet well after shampooing and dry them thoroughly. Don't worry about the missed dose of medication just get back on schedule now. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Archie.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
My dog had an infection between two of his fingers. We have been perscribed atibiotics to take for 7-10 days - Clavaseptin. Yesterday was the 6th day of antibiotics and I forgot to gave Arci the second half of the pill in the evening. He takes 1/2 of
It seems Bini developed an antibiotic resistant organisms or antibody of anti biotics...if I continue the same antibiotic medicine for a longer time can she be cured of the bacterial infections pictures I attached.. she has infections inside her paws
We have a great dane name Ajax, he is about 2 years old. He has been diagnosed with anemia in the past and has a very very swollen foot. He went to the vet yesterday and was given antibiotics, anti-inflammatories as well as pain medication, he also
My Italian neopolitian mustiff has got swollen paws with cuts under. They are infected. She refuses to take food. She is not getting any better even after taking antibiotics. Please help.
I own a dog.Two weeks ago his paw started swelling,became worse in a day and he could barely walk.Same day in the evening I found a broken glass(cca 1cm)between his digital and metacarpal pads.Vet gave him antibiotics day after and said it would get
My dog has a cut on his paw from a few weeks ago. It’s slow healing, but recently became more inflamed and warm to the touch. Does he need antibiotics? Or is topical, over the counter care enough?
Three days ago Archie started to keep his leg up when walking. I took him to the vet. He told me that there is a callus between the fingers, put cream and wraped his paw up in band. Two days later Archie still keeps his paw up. I took the band off an
Hello, cytology shows cocci and eosinophils (white blood cells?) in the paws (Pic). She's on Cefpodoxine for 2 wks-- is that enough time to clear up the paw? Popliteal lymph nodes enlarged. Is it likely a secondary bacterial infection caused by aller
My dog has an infection on its paw, it has been tested and it should be going away by itself. But it is starting to look worse
The paw of my dog is swollen and has interdigital pus. Please help.
Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.
