Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

My cat has swollen paws. What are the treatments for pillow paw?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 7 months and 13 days old | 7 lbs

How is plasma cell pododermatitis commonly treated?

This question includes photos that may contain sensitive content. Click to view.

View more to consider that the photos may include sensitive content.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on November 14th, 2019

Doxycycline can be helpful in these cases. In severe case, immune suppressive therapy with steroids or cyclosporin may be needed. Antibiotics may be needed for secondary infection. Surgery may also be needed in very severe cases in which ulceration has caused the underlying pad tissue to protrude and become damaged or infected.

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 13 year old cats paw is swollen and bleeding. I did take her to the vet and she was given a shot and medication but it has not improved. They said it was pillow paw, I'm not sure what else to do.
It does look like it could be an inflammatory condition like pillow paw. Sometimes these flare up when the immune system is activated, such as reacting to fleas or food allergies. Many time they need long courses of antibiotics like doxycycline and immune-suppressant medications like prednisone or cyclosporine. I would recommend that you have Sugar re-evaluated by the vet since it didn't respond to their treatment. I am sure she is very uncomfortable and may benefit from pain medications. If it doesn't respond medically, then surgical removal of the paw pad is an option.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I think my cat has pillow paw is there something I can do at home to heal him?
Pillow paw is also known as plasma cell pododermatitis. It is believed there is an immune basis behind the development of the disease, so treating the immune reaction is the focus of treatment. As such, there are not treatments at home that you can do for your cat. Peanut will need to see a vet to diagnose if he does have pillow paw, and then vet can prescribe the treatment of choice for it, oral doxycycline.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
How would I treat pillow pad disease if I have no money and no credit to take my cat to the vet? Would a probiotic help? Something else? I'm desperate to help my cat. If left untreated would she lose her foot?
HI, thanks for using Boop by Petco! If you can not take Yoda to the Vet then I recommend soaking her feet in Epsom salt baths twice daily. Use an E-collar to prevent licking. We think that plasma cell pododermatitis can be food allergy related or immune. So you can change her diet to a novel protein (avoid chicken based diets and try venison, duck or fish). The disease can wax and wan and I have seen it resolve with out treatment. I have never seen a cat lose their foot. If she doesn't get better than try your best to find Veterinary care. Some SPCAs have low cost clinics. I hope this helps and good luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
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.
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.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cats paw has swolen up. He goes outside so I think he may of been stung by a bee. Shall I take him to the vets? What can I do at home? He's been sleeping a lot and not going outside
Since he goes outside, he could also have an abscess/infection in his paw or he may have an injury. He should definitely be examined by a vet to determine the exact cause. He may need an antibiotic or an anti-inflammatory to treat. Your vet can also take an x-ray, if needed, to help diagnose. There isn't much you can do at home until we know the exact cause of the swelling. Hope he feels better soon.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
What's wrong with my cats pads? All 4 paws are/were cracked and bleeding. Trying to heal but he hurts to walk
There is a disease call "plasma cell pododermatitis" that affects the footpads of cats, making them swell and sometimes crack. It's poorly understood, but believed to be an autoimmune disease. Treatment usually consists of a specific antibiotic (doxycycline) which somehow regulates the immune system (again, we don't understand why) and drugs to suppress the immune system (prednisolone or cyclosporine). Sometimes we have to bandage the feet temporarily to help with the pain and to aid healing. Soldier may also need pain medication for a time until he is more comfortable. Your vet should be able to diagnose this condition and start treatment. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I found my mother's cat an hour ago next door limping in the neighbor's yard and meowing meekly; I ran and picked him up, brought him in and saw that the large bottom front right paw pad seems to be completely missing. I was able to clean it a little
He will need to be seen by a vet of course as he must be given antibiotics and pain killers, but in the meantime you can clean the area, put some antiseptic or antibiotic cream on it and bandage it. i understand it will not be easy nut this is the only thing you can do to help him without seeing a vet.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My female has swollen front paws for months and sterted to limp. It started on the right and that one is worst. Tried selecting food but no better. Put on acidi borici and it helps for swollen but doesn t do much. Tried treat with Mitex didn t help.
Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Based on the pictures you have provided, the problem could be associated with an allergy, infection or a immune-mediated disease. I would recommend trying a product called malacetic conditioning spray and apply to the area until resolved. You may have to see your veterinarian to discuss alternative treatment options such as steroid therapy or immunomodulatory therapy to treat and immune-mediated disease. Feline plasma cell pododermatitis can appear like this and treatment is suppressing the immune system and antibiotic therapy. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
There's a swelling on the hand of my kitten. It' was appeared yesterday, I think it hurts, and it bursted 10 mins ago and lots of pus came out from it. We can't visit a vet now. We closed on it. What shall we do now?
A check up, appropriate disinfection and eventually antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection can eventually be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid licking. 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.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cats toe is swollen and looks to be infected or something. It's the same toe on both front paws. He'll let me touch his paws and look but he didn't like it when I went to look at the underside of his paw. I really don't know what to do. He's an ol
I am so very sorry to hear about your kitty! It does appear, unfortunately, that your kitty could have an infection going on in the foot here, as the area looks swollen with purulent discharge coming from the area. Unfortunately when we have an area like this, a topical treatment is usually not going to suffice and oral or injectable antibiotics is often needed. We can see infections as a result of overgrown or ingrown toenails, wounds, foreign bodies (like a piece of splinter or grass seed) entering the skin, and sometimes we can also get fungal infections. Without seeing your kitty in person it is very hard to determine. I know you say you cannot afford a vet, but I think you will have to figure out a way to get your kitty in to see the vet. They can look more closely at the toe and the nail to try to determine the cause. They may be able to do this just by looking and feeling the area, they may want to test the discharge to check for bacteria or fungus They may need to flush th
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Cat Supplies Antifungal Medication for Cats Cat Antibiotics Antifungal Medication for Dogs Prescription Cat Allergy Medicine Pain Meds & Arthritis Relief for Cats Cat Thyroid Medication Cat Medicine Diuretics for Cats Prescription Dewormer for Cats Doxycycline Cat Antibiotics Doxycycline Cat Medicine Doxycycline Cat Asthma Medication Prednisone Pain Meds & Arthritis Relief for Cats Dermalone Antifungal Medication for Cats Dermalone Cat Medicine Cyclosporine Prescription Cat Allergy Medicine Orbax Cat Antibiotics Cyclosporine Cat Allergy & Itch Relief Cyclosporine Cat Medicine
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored