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Why are my dog's paw pads red, swollen, and she's not walking?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | American Bully | Female | unspayed | 50 lbs

My dog is acting different she is weak and whinny the only thing I noticed is that her paw pads are red and one of them is swollen she’s not walking and sleeping alot

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3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on January 30th, 2020

The paws are extremely swollen, it could be an infection or due to repetitive trauma, it could also be an allergic reaction or an insect bite. my recommendation would be to take her to your vet ASAP for treatment.

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on July 24th, 2017

    Poor Mimi! It's very possible that her paw may have been run over or injured in some way. It could also be red and swollen due to a snake bite or severe infection. If she isn't putting any weight on it at all, I would definitely be concerned that it may be broken or extremely painful - so I would recommend taking her to the vet right away to have this checked. He/she can take x-rays of her paw if needed to help determine what's wrong, and will get her started on pain medication, antibiotics, or other meds depending on what is found.

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    Answered By Sarah Derksen, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on December 28th, 2018

    Hi. Unfortunately without seeing him it is impossible to say what happened to him. If it has been swollen and is painful for 3 days, he needs to be seen asap. He most likely has some kind of severe injury. He needs an exam, xrays, and pain medications. There are no safe human pain medications. It has to be prescribed by your veterinarian.

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