# Bleeding between pads!



## Greater Swiss (Jun 7, 2011)

I was just checking out Caeda's paws, I've been keeping an eye on them lately. It looked a little bit pink in between her pads, but very light and I thought perhaps it was just her colouring there (her feet are white). I thought it was odd though so have been keeping an eye on it. 

Tonight I looked and there is definitely some bleeding going on. Its between all of the pads. It seems to be just her front paws, though I admit just now she wasn't terribly interested in letting me take a really good look at the back ones (she just had a bath and was probably sick of being poked and prodded). I'm not seeing any cuts or anything, they don't seem to smell funny at all, though the water might have diluted whatever scent there is. 

Any idea what could cause this? Is there a good way to treat it? It doesn't seem like her feet are making her uncomfortable, but it can't be nice for her!

A couple of other notes (I'm sure I'll be asked this stuff) her pads look normal. When we walk its usually grass/dirt road, not gravel or sharp stuff (though she occasionally gets into the bush a little). I don't shave or trim the fur between her toes/pads, and between the toes (looking from the top of the foot) look normal. UGH, please don't tell me this is another allergy thing....actually if it is please do, I'm just not looking forward to the possibility. 

Thanks all for any input....


----------



## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

I hate to say this, but I'm thinking allergy. Kabota had that when we first got him, he also snored like a freight train. Regular baths, brushing and feeding grain free food cleared that up and the snoring up within 2 months.

I'd also suggest having the fur between her toes trimmed, and there's this stuff, I don't know where you'd get it. My MIL works in a nursing home and she always has these pads on her, they're like alcohol wipes, but they have this wound care stuff on them that forms a waterproof barrier that keeps irritation due to rubbing down. We used that between Kabota's pads to give everything a chance to heal up.


----------



## Greater Swiss (Jun 7, 2011)

I always rub her paws down when we come in from a walk so they don't stay wet and perhaps irritate, but they're definitely getting irritated despite that. 

Those wipes sound interesting! I seem to recall seeing a remedy here somewhere that was witch hazel and tea tree oil that would cover the bases for possible fungal or bacterial....can't seem to find it though, I might try that first. I'm also going to doggy social tonight and the lady who runs it is a groomer, I might ask if she has anything that might help and if she can do a quick trim. If she can't I'm sure I can manage.
I'm really hoping we can avoid a vet visit for this, money is tight at the moment and I'd rather save the set aside money in case of a real emergency (I mean how much would it suck if I took her to the vet for this and then she broke her leg or something UGH). If it goes on for more than another week though (along with her scratching a lot) I might have to do it anyway. I'm suspecting that this might be tied in with an allergy SO frustrating.


----------



## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

> I seem to recall seeing a remedy here somewhere that was witch hazel and tea tree oil that would cover the bases for possible fungal or bacterial....can't seem to find it though, I might try that first.


Tea tree oil is toxic to dogs and cats. The threshold for toxicity is lower for cats and small dogs than for large dogs, but particularly in any location that it could be ingested, tea tree oil can be dangerous for dogs. Technically there is a toxicity level for humans too, but humans rarely ingest it when it is used topically of course. 
Personally, I wouldn't recommend its use at all.

Wipe her paws off with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to remove any allergens and to clean up the raw skin a bite. Prevent her from licking and gnawing at her paws, as chances are, that is either causing the raw skin or irritating wounds. 

If the irritation is on the lower side of the toes, it could be something like gravel, stinging nettle or other environmental causes. If its on the inside/upside, then it sounds more allergen related and the rawness caused by licking/gnawing.


----------



## Greater Swiss (Jun 7, 2011)

I was thinking tea tree oil was bad, I know I saw it as a suggestion somewhere, I think it was a drop in 2 cups of water or something, but still, not a risk worth taking.Now that I rethink....it might have been a recipe for home made ear cleaner. 
Its odd though, she isn't gnawing at her paws at all. I first noticed it when I was trimming her nails and inspecting her paws. It is very deep in there, right in the deep creases of her "toes". The top of the web of flesh looks good. 
I'm almost positive there is something allergy related going on, strongly doubt it is food, looking at environmental. Really leaning towards seasonal allergy. Grr. Oh well, treating her for allergies will probably clear up a bunch of little things.


----------

