When to take a dog to the vet for a paw injury?

If you believe that your dog could be suffering from any of these issues it's time to head to the vet. If any of the following apply to your dog it's time to contact your veterinarian or your nearest emergency animal clinic for care. Limping for more than 24 hours without improvement. Limping in combination with a fever. Limbs that feel hot to the touch. A broken limb. Any moderate to severe swelling. A dangling limb. If the limp doesn't start resolving itself, is getting worse, or is accompanied by whining or yelping, it's time to call your vet or visit your nearest emergency pet hospital. Something painful stuck in their paw. Examine your pup's foot for signs of injury, such as cuts. Call your vet if you notice something painful. Look for bleeding.

If your dog is in severe pain, do not attempt to examine him. Even if he is not in obvious discomfort, manipulating broken bones or dislocated joints can cause unnecessary pain and may worsen the injury. A simple way to determine the severity of the injury is that most dogs will not walk on a broken leg, torn ligament, or dislocated joint. If lameness persists for more than 24 hours, seek veterinary care. If anything looks or feels unusual, compare it to the other leg. Then call your veterinarian with your observations. If your dog has swelling that could be associated with a sprain, bruise, or tendonitis, apply ice packs to the area for 15 minutes and consult your veterinarian for further recommendations. For abscesses, apply warm compresses to the affected area or soak in a warm Epsom salt bath, but take your dog to your veterinarian as soon as possible, as an abscess can become painful whether it ruptures or not. Confine lame dogs and restrict their activity. The evaluation of most lame dogs is best left to a veterinarian.

That said, some wounds that may seem small can result in serious infections so if you are in doubt about whether you should take your dog to the vet, it's always best to err on the side of caution. Taking your canine companion to the vet for a wound as soon as it occurs could save your dog a lot of pain, and you a lot of money in the long run. Wounds that require veterinary care include: Animals bites, Skin that has been torn away from the flesh below, A wound with a large object lodged in it, Wounds caused by a car accident or other trauma, Injuries around the eyes, head or that lead to breathing difficulties. If you are unsure about what to do, or whether your pet needs veterinary care, remember that when it comes to your animal's health it is always better to err on the side of caution. If the object is lodged deeply, leave it and call your vet, or an emergency animal hospital immediately. If your dog is still bleeding after 10 minutes of applying pressure, contact your vet or emergency animal hospital right away. If you notice increasing redness, swelling, discharge, increasing pain in the area of the wound or a bad odor coming from the wound, contact your vet right away.