How To Treat A Dog Nail Infection

How to Treat an Infected Dog Nail? or, toe/paw infection

A typical treatment when your dog has an infected nail (paronychia) or paw/toe infection (also called dog pododermatitis) is to soak the paw with an anti-bacterial/anti-fungal product such as Banixx Pet Care. Soaking with Banixx is an easy remedy in answer to the question "how to treat my dog's nail bed infection." It's easy to stick with the treatment program. Once you start, be careful to keep the affected nail/paw clean, free of dirt and debris in between soakings.  And keep it as dry as possible, even if this means your dog must wear a water-proof bootie. Most dogs recover in short order and return happily to their previous activities.

Dog Nail Infection

Dog Nail Infection

So, What Caused My Dog's Nail Infection or Pododermatitis (Paw Infection) ?

An infection in your dog’s nail or paw can start off with an injury, a wound, or just too much play as happens with young dogs or puppies. In rare cases, it may be due to a systemic disease. Paronychia is a type of bacterial nail infection that causes inflammation around the nail or claw. It can also be of fungal origin.  Other fungal infections, such as onychomycosis, can also occur in or around the dog's nail bed. Another source of infection is due to Pododermatitis (Interdigital Dermatitis). This manifests as swelling and redness of the tissue between your dog's toes and in between the footpads. It's very painful and your dog may not want to move at all. Pododermatitis is a very common canine skin condition that may also affect the nail.

How Can I Tell if my Dog's Nail is Infected?

banixx pet careSymptoms may include:

  • A swollen nail bed on one or more of your dog's nails/swollen around the toe, nail, or across the paw in general
  • Pain in the paw/foot or limping
  • Visual signs of injury
  • Your dog starts chewing or licking excessively at some irritation or damage in the nail or paw area or your dog is biting his nails.
  • Discharge or pus coming out of the nail bed and a foul smell coming from your dog's paw or infected nail (all caused by the infection)
  • A discolored, soft, or brittle claw/nail

So, What Caused My Dog's Nail Infection or Pododermatitis (Paw Infection) ?

An infection in your dog’s nail or paw can start off with an injury, a wound, or just too much play as happens with young dogs or puppies. In rare cases, it may be due to a systemic disease. Paronychia is a type of bacterial nail infection that causes inflammation around the nail or claw. It can also be of fungal origin.  Other fungal infections, such as onychomycosis, can also occur in or around the dog's nail bed. Another source of infection is due to Pododermatitis (Interdigital Dermatitis). This manifests as swelling and redness of the tissue between your dog's toes and in between the footpads. It's very painful and your dog may not want to move at all. Pododermatitis is a very common canine skin condition that may also affect the nail.

If your dog has a wounded or injured paw, he is now susceptible to a nail bed infection which can arise from simple contact with his environment. Let’s face it, a dog’s paw environment is often quite dirty. Examples that come to mind are the result of ordinary functions such as, walking your dog on soil, a sidewalk, a field or exposure to any other non-sterile environment, which is just where dogs spend their time!. During this vulnerable time you will need to organize your dog's exercise so as to keep her in an environment that is as clean as possible. Additionally, if the dog’s toe is swollen around the toe nail, it can be painful for the dog to walk and play. You may need to take steps to protect his paws by wrapping them and ensuring those paws are as clean and dry as possible after exercise. This may not be easy since many dogs seem to almost have a fetish or distinct dislike/fear about having their paws touched. Remember, treats can go a long way to distract them while you are trying to clean up or wrap their paws/nails. And this may be a two-person job!

How do I treat a Dog Nail Infection or Paw Infection?

When you use Banixx Pet Care as a paw-soak solution, it stops the growth of bacteria in its tracks since Banixx's unique formula provides for an environment where bacteria or fungus simply cannot grow! The best part of this paw-soak treatment for the infected nail/toe/paw is that Banixx is a painless and odorless solution, so it won’t frighten or hurt your dog, nor will it discolor his fur. This makes application a breeze for both pooch and owner; we even offer a travel size, so you can always have it with you on the go. Since we know that dogs smell so much better than humans, Banixx's lack of added scent is a huge bonus when treating her paw.  Consider also running hot water over the outside of the Banixx bottle to make the contents lukewarm instead of cold. Immersion of your dog’s paw into a cold liquid or spraying his paw with a cold liquid may be a bit of a shock and could alarm her, whereas an application of lukewarm Banixx will be completely tolerable. Continue the soaking treatment until you observe that the infection has gone, this will be clearly identified by a lack of pain for your dog. You may also wish to follow up with Banixx Wound Care cream. If in doubt, never hesitate to consult with your veterinarian.

For more severe cases, your veterinarian may prescribe a topical antibiotic or a systemic antibiotic as protocol for your dog's nail infection treatment. However, you may be able to avoid the use and cost of an antibiotic if you catch it early and keep the area clean with topical treatments of Banixx.  Moreover, if veterinary intervention is required, your vet may additionally want to conduct some tests such as scrapings or biopsies to determine the extent of damage caused by the infection. Even in these situations, Banixx can be used with total confidence in conjunction with any medication prescribed by your vet for a dog toe infection treatment.

Dog Nail Infection

Dog Nail Infection

Customer Testimonial:
"My dog was constantly chewing on her paws until they bled and were inflamed with pus. Sprayed this everyday and the infection seemed to go away. Will continue to use!"Roger R., via Amazon