Please help! Swollen bleeding blistery pads!

A little while ago, I noticed blood on my floor, so I lifted Millie's front foot, and saw blood, and then each of her feet, and all of them look awful!!!  Her front left paw, and back right paw have just blisters, but her front right and back left pads look like she's had blisters, and they've popped, and are now bleeding!!!  I've never seen anything like it in any dog I've ever had!  This morning I walked my daughter to school up the road with the dogs, then I walked the long way home through the fen, woods, then grassy meadows.  She hasn't, and still doesn't appear to be in any pain, she's not licking at them at all.  Surely it must be an allergy?!  Poppy, my other dogs feet look absolutely fine.  I have made a vet appointment for 6.10 this evening.

Ouch! Poor thing!

First of all, you've done the right thing by making a vet appointment. It could just be an allergic reaction, but it's better to be safe than sorry!

Have you bathed her paws as well? Bathing the paws in a salt water solution will help to flush out dirt and bacteria, as well as prevent infection.

Also, were the pavements she was walking on hot? In spring and summer, hot pavements are a common cause of blistering paws, especially during particularly long walks.

Thank you, when I tried to wash the bad ones, they started bleeding again, so I thought I'd speak to the vet first for advise. My poor girly! xxx

Poor little thing. Seeing as the vet appointment is this evening, it probably won't hurt to leave them be for now.

Poor girl, they do look nasty!

Do you know if she's walked through any strong disinfectant? Maybe where someone has been cleaning their front path & swilled it all across the pavement?

I think the vet's the right thing though, better to be safe than sorry! Let us know how you get on.

Thank you, sorry, I've just noticed the post about hot pavements/roads. It was sunny this morning, but it was 8.30, and I don't think the roads would have been that hot. I have walked her in hotter weather on the road! It only takes 15 mins to walk to school, then we went home the back way. Also, I took my other dog, and she's fine. My 2 dogs go in all the same places. I don't think there are chemicals anywhere, I certainly don't use anything harsh, as I worry, especially about my cats. I can't believe how bad her little feet look!    xxx

Probably not burned then, which is good! Hopefully the vet will be able to have a look and make a diagnosis.

Good luck - let us know how it goes!

How did she get on at the vets?

Hiya, the vet said her feet look sore while he squeezed her pad and made it bleed more! He said he can't be sure what she's done, he said it looks as if she's run through stubble! He said it could have been an allergy to a plant, or chemical burns. He gave her a long lasting antibiotic injection, and a steroid injection, and said not to walk her over the weekend. He said they should heal, but if they don't, bring her back in. He was surprised that she didn't seem at all bothered by her feet, and wasn't licking at them! xxx

Hopefully it's just a one-off thing and will heal quickly!

Get well soon, Millie!

How strange! Maybe a landowner has spread something nasty on some of the ground Millie walked through. Strange it didn't affect Poppy, though, isn't it?

At least you've got the treatment started now - hopefully they'll clear up really quickly. Did the vet say how long he thought it'd take?

He said with no walks, it should improve over the weekend and start to heal. I thought he was going to come out with the magical answer, but I suppose they can't tell what causes everything can they?! Strange, I hope they go away! xxx

Some things just stay as mysteries!

If it ever happens again, it might help to note down where she goes on walks, to compare and see if there's a particular area where it seems to happen.

Yeah, we usually only walk locally though, goodness knows what she's done! She was running around going mental on her walk earlier! xxx

Very strange!

In regards to the no-walking-weekend, in case she gets fidgety, you could try playing some mentally stimulating games with her. Hide 'n seek, for instance!

Oh dear, poor Millie. I wish that, unlike your vet, I had the magical answer - but I don't. Did he see the blister which is shown in your last photo?

Well, she's had the jabs and tbh I would be inclined to bathe her paws in salted water as well.

Do let us know how Millie gets on   

It is very weird because it's only on the sides of her toes. I've never seen anything like it. The pads themself are fine ... very strange.

Yeah, I thought it was really strange it was just on the sides! Well, I'm pleased to say that they look a lot better already! The swelling and redness has gone, and they appear to be healing well! xxx

Here's her worst feet today!  Excuse the fluff lol!  xxx

She looks a lot better now! Glad she's recovering quickly!

That's very good news, Amber   

Glad she's recovering, they do look a lot better. I suppose the pads were just too tough to react the way the softer sides did?

Thank you, that's what I said to the vet Caryll. I thought that whatever had caused the reaction, hadn't managed to get through the bottoms of her pads coz they were tougher, but the softer sides were affected! She looks even better today, I'm really pleased! xxx