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My dog's toe is swollen and he keeps licking it. What could it be?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | American Bulldog | Male | unneutered | 6 years and 1 month old | 80 lbs

Recent inflammation to my dogs right toe. He’s been licking on it and has favored it quite a bit over the past 48hours. Thoughts on what this could be?

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on July 27th, 2023

Thank you for the picture of Jameson's toe, it's very helpful. It looks quite red and swollen in the picture. There are a number of things that could cause this, such as a foreign body like a foxtail, an infection, an injury, or even a cancerous growth. He's licking it a lot and favoring it because it's painful to him. Unfortunately there are no OTC pain relievers you can give him, as many human ones are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. He needs to see a vet to have this diagnosed and treated, and I would give his vet a call now to get him an appointment. It would be best for him to see his vet asap. I would also put an Ecollar on him to keep him from licking it, you can buy one at a pet store if you don't have one at home already. I hope this helps!

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2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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