My dog keeps licking a sore under her toenail. Why won't it heal?

Question

My dog has this blister/sore under the toenail. It doesn’t seem to hurt when she runs and she hasn’t whines off you touch it, but she licks it constantly and it’s not going away.

Dr. Elizabeth · Accepted Answer

Hello, my name is Dr. Elizabeth and I am happy to help. I hate to hear your pup's blister is not getting better. It's possible that the lesion is not healing because your pup is licking it and not letting it heal. It's also possible this is something along the lines of a skin cancer or there is a something stuck in the skin that needs to be removed. I think you have two options: 1) Have your pup examined. This is the best and fastest way to know if this is something like a skin cancer or a foreign object trapped under the skin. 2) Try home care. At home there are some things you can do which may help to heal the sore. The first thing you need to do is stop the licking (since this can make it worse). Your pup should wear an elizabethan collar at all times. Remember that the collar must come out past her nose in order to be effective. Next, wash the area once a day with either plain hand soap (like Dial) or a medicated pet shampoo. This will help to control the number of topical pathogens as well as remove oil and dead skin cells. Rinse the area well and gently towel dry. Lastly, apply a topical antibiotic twice a day. Just a dab will do and rub it in well. Make sure the skin is dry before application. Neosporin is fine to use. Since it's on the foot, she needs to rest and avoid trauma so only short, controlled walks. Also avoid rough surfaces like dry grass which may cause further irritation. If the spot is not much better in 1 week, if it gets worse at any point or if the lesion is not completely healed within 2 weeks, your pup needs to be examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and that the lesion heals quickly!

My dog keeps licking a sore under her toenail. Why won't it heal?

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