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My puppy's paw is red and she's licking it a lot. Should I see a vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 9 months and 22 days old | 30 lbs

My puppy has been licking her front right paw excessively the last few days. It seems to happen mostly first thing in the morning, but then she was up at 3am licking it last night. Her paw pads look good, but the skin in between looks red and irritated. Is this something that will likely resolve on it's own or should we take her to the vet?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 18th, 2018

She could have an infection between her toes so it would be a good idea to have a vet look at it. She may need an antibiotic to treat. You could also soak her paw in a warm Epsom salt solution and see if that helps with the redness and irritation.

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    Answered By Megan Ga

    Veterinary Technician

    Published on

    Thanks for contacting PetCoach! As you are located in San Diego, you may be interested to know that we now offer housecall services to pets in the greater San Diego area. Visit https://www.petcoach.co/house-call-veterinarians/ or email us at housecalls@petcoach.co for more information!

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