Shiba Inu toe cyst won't heal with antibiotics. Need a second opinion?

Hello and thank you for contacting Boop by Petco. The wound and swelling could be caused by a foreign body, like a splinter or a piece of grass seed that penetrated under the skin. If there is no improvement to antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications, Hjalmar should have the swelling lanced and flushed under sedation.

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! While this is possible, keep in mind that there could also be something like an abscess going on. Other possibilities include a mass or tumor. I would encourage you to have Cooper evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check on this and recommend therapy accordingly. Best of luck!

It looks like it could be an infected interdigital cyst, and if it’s happening in the same place it could be a resistant bacteria. There also might be foreign material like a stick in the area, or it could even be an infected tumor. Tabby might need a culture, or she might need to have this lesion removed. You may need to travel to see a different veterinarian if you feel like you’re not getting the care Tabby needs.

If it is bothering Joey enough to cause him to lick it, the first thing you need to do is prevent him from continuing that type of behavior. The best thing you can get for this is an e-collar or cone. While it makes them look ridiculous, they are effective at preventing self-mutilation and worsening infections. You can also make home made ones, which are illustrated for you on You tube. If you are truly dealing with a cyst like structure, these tend to increase in size until the point of rupture, they drain, and then they refill. It is impossible to tell what this is based on this picture, but it certainly might be a cyst. The best way to ascertain the origin of the lesion is with a biopsy or a fine needle aspirate. While a biopsy is certain the gold standard, it is much more invasive and costly than allowing your vet to obtain a needle aspirate. The aspirate will get your vet some cellular material to view on the microscope that will at least give him an idea of whether or not

Poor Panda! I would expect to see some improvement in his toe within 48 hours after starting antibiotic treatment, and it is concerning that his infection is still bad. You can talk with the vet about giving it a few more days, but the concern is the infection can spread. Other options besides removing the toe include culturing the area to get the exact bacteria causing his infection and then using antibiotics that kill that bacteria in the hopes getting rid of the infection, or taking him into another vet today for a second opinion. You can speak to the vet about doing a culture on his infected toe, but it may be in the end that removing the toe is best. I'm sorry I can't give you an exact answer, but I hope this was helpful!

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! I’m sorry to hear Lollipop is having skin issues. If her issue has been so persistent, if she hasn’t had more focused diagnostic testing, I would recommend considering doing a culture to try to isolate any yeast or bacteria that is causing her issue, and possibly a skin biopsy to ensure that it is secondary to an allergy. If it is an allergy, there is a new injection that is used to treat allergies called Cytopoint. I would recommend reaching out to your regular veterinarian to discuss either further testing or treatment that she may need. Good luck!

Thanks for using Boop by Petco. The antibiotics are probably not working because there is another underlying problem such as allegies. Or perhaps it is not healing because Bini is licking at it constantly. I’d recommend an E-collar at all times for at least 7 days and talking with your veterinarian about adding a course of steroids to decrease swelling, inflammation and pain. If this really is a resistant bacteria, topical antiseptics such as chlorhexidine or betadine will be more effective. Soak the foot in a diluted solution of one of those once to twice daily for 5 minutes, then dry very thoroughly. Best wishes to you and Bini!

This sounds like an infected interdigital cyst. These are common in dog’s paws. They usually need oral antibiotics to heal these infections, so I would take her in to your veterinarian for an exam and treatment. In the meantime you can soak the paw in an antibacterial solution, and use a cone to prevent her from licking the paw. Thanks for using Boop by Petco to help you care for Toffee.

A skin biopsy and bacterial culture swab must be taken to define underlying cause specifically and decide appropriate treatment. This presentation may be caused by a resistant bacteria (so a different antibiotic will be needed) or an autoimmune disorder (so a different treatment will be given). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Poor girl. I do feel that culturing this area would be best, that way we know what antibiotic is needed to rid the bacteria present for sure. Especially after being on the same antibiotic for 28 days already. Re-infection of an area is also likely if the pet continues to lick at it. Therefore, if the infection is completely gone, you have to then treat the pets itch. If we are licking our feet due to allergies, then the underlying allergy should be addressed by keeping her on allergy medication. Discuss with your vet about the options of either Cytopoint injections or Apoquel to help manage her allergies. Also soaking her paws in Chlorhexidine solution 3% diluted 1:10 with water daily can help soothe her paws and remove any allergens she picks up on her feet from outside. Chlorhexidine wipes can also be purchase and used to help with this. In the meantime, I would opt to go with a stronger antibiotic prescribed by your vet, perhaps Simplicef should be tried, until you can decide o