My Dog Has a Growth On Their Paw - Interdigital Cysts in Dogs

An ‘interdigital cyst’ is a lump which appears between the digits (commonly referred to as ‘toes’) of the dog's paw. They are not one single issue and have various causes. The main ones include:

• Foreign bodies
• Folliculitis
• Neoplasia
• Allergies
• Scabies
• Autoimmune diseases
• Other causes of growths on a dog's paw

So we can know what action needs to be taken, we will look at these different causes and their treatment in closer detail. Keep reading to find out more.

Since dogs most commonly walk on various different types of terrain without any form of protection, they paws are vulnerable. When walking our dog, we need to be careful of any potential hazards which might appear on the way. In nature, we might see there are sharp tree needles on the ground. Walking them on the pavement, it is possible there may be some broken glass. A dog's enthusiasm and excitement can mean they might bound onto dangerous ground without hesitation.

When the dog walks over certain foreign bodies, the pressure means they can insert themselves into the skin. The result of the injury will be pain, redness and inflammation. Even if the foreign body does not lodge itself in the dog's paw, bacteria on the object can enter the wound and cause similar inflammation.

Treatment of a foreign body in the dog's paw requires removing said object. How this is done will depend on how far it is inserted into the tissue. If it is easy to remove, you can do it yourself. If it is embedded deep, a veterinarian will need to take it out using special tools.

Afterwards, the wound site will need to be cleaned and the area disinfected. If a foreign object has developed a bacterial infection, it is possible a veterinarian will prescribe antibiotics, but only in severe cases.

Image: argos.portalveterinaria.com

Folliculitis is caused when one or more hair follicles become infected and inflamed. The inflammation is usually purulent, meaning pus has built up inside if an abscess occurs. However, since the dog doesn't have follicles on the paw pads themselves, they will only experience interdigital folliculitis. If we see our dog is limping on a given paw, we should take a look in between their toes if we don't see anything.

There are various causes of folliculitis in dogs, usually due to dirt entering the follicle. Bacteria or fungus can enter the follicle and the dog's immune defense starts to fight the infection.

It is possible the folliculitis will disappear on its own as the infection is fought by antibodies. However, there are other treatment options available. In most cases, you will be able to wash the area with an antiseptic. If the folliculitis doesn't go away, it may require further treatment in the form of antifungal or antibiotic medication, depending on the cause.

A neoplasm is a type of abnormal tissue growth which has a wide variety of causes. These range from benign cysts to cancerous tumors. The main types of neoplasia on a dog's paw include:

• Squamous cell carcinoma: a type of neoplasm which affects the epithelial cells, these are most common in sensitive areas of the dog's skin such as nose, mouth and paws. Since squamous cell carcinoma are associated with exposure to sunlight, it is possible the dog develops one as a growth on their paw which is more exposed as it is not protected by fur. Treatment may be surgical or chemical, but it will depend on the veterinary diagnosis.
• Hystiocytoma: these are benign growths which may grow on the paw's of a dog, but are not very common. They are usually benign and can disappear without treatment. If they do not, they may require surgery to remove them.
• Melanoma: this is a type of skin cancer on dogs which is most often caused by sunlight. It is dangerous and will need veterinary medical attention.
• Benign cyst: other types of benign cyst are possible on the dog's paws.

You may become aware of a neoplasm on a dog's paw due to a change in their gait. If the growth is big enough, it stops the dog from being able to walk properly and it may even be painful. Even in benign cases, the neoplasm may need to be removed to improve the dog's quality of life.

There are various types of allergic reactions from which dogs can suffer. Whether it is a reaction to a medication or a food allergy, the result affects different parts of the body. If the dog has a growth on their paws due to an allergic reaction, the cause is likely a material which they have walked over. It is also possible a substance has come in contact with their through a spillage or some other vector.

Treatment of an allergic reaction will depend on its severity. If the dog goes into anaphylactic shock, they will need to be taken to an emergency veterinary clinic. In mild cases, the swelling may go down itself over time. Prevention of such allergic reactions in the future will depend on whether we are able to work out its cause.

A scabies infestation can be of varying degrees of severity, but they are all caused by thew scabies mite Sarcoptes scabiei. These mites have variations and the Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis is the one which affects dogs. The mite burrows into the skin of the dog's paw and lead to itching, rashes and even small growths in major infestations.

You might be alerted to the presence of scabies in dogs when they begin to nibble at them to relieve the itchiness. If the dog has an autoimmune disease, the scabies can scab over. In these cases, it is likely the scabies will not be limited to their paws and affect other areas on the skin.

Scabies is infectious to other dogs, so they will need to be quarantined from other animals. They are not zoonotic, i.e. they cannot be transferred to humans. The mite may jump from a dog to a human, but the dog scabies mite will not be able to survive long on human skin.

Treatment of scabies is usually in the form of managing the symptoms and possibly using an acaracide. Prevention is the best treatment.

There are various types of autoimmune diseases in dogs with various different causes. They may all result in growths on the dog's paws. They include:

• Anemia
• Immune-Mediated Thrombocytopenia
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Pemphigus
• Bullous Pemphigoid

Causes, symptoms and treatment will depend on the individual disease.

While the major issues are covered in the sections above, there are other causes which may lead to growths on a dog's paw. The endocrine system deals with the various hormones produced in the body which affect different body parts in various ways. They include various disorders such as Cushing's syndrome. In some cases, they may result in gland swelling which causes growths on the dog's paw.

Finally, one of the main causes of growths on a dog's paw are relatively benign. If the dog does a lot of running, especially on hard surfaces, the skin on the paw pad can harden into a callus. This may become more likely with age. Also, if the dog's gait is affected, they may walk on part of their paw too much and result in a corn. These can become painful if not addressed.

This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to My Dog Has a Growth On Their Paw - Interdigital Cysts in Dogs, we recommend you visit our Other health problems category.