dogs and hydrocortizone cream? - Paw Talk

corgimom · #1 09-25-2006, 09:29 PM

a few days ago, one of Tucker's feet looked a tiny bit pink (the pad of the foot). He's been chewing on it non-stop, and it's now red. He's chewed it so much that he broke the skin in one spot.

We've examined the foot and don't see anything stuck or any reason for him to be chewing on it. I'm going to call the vet's office and see if they can give me some cream for it without bringing him in (Ein and Colleen both go in on Saturday, so if Tucker isn't better by then, I'll take him in, too.)

In the meantime, until I can get to the vet, is it okay to use something like hydrocortizone cream on a dog? I already have a supply of children's benedryl (liquid) because Ein has allergies, so I'm going to give Tucker a little bit of that and see if it does anything.

Elvis Lee Mommy · #2 09-25-2006, 11:03 PM

I'd call the Vet & ask about the creme before using it. It could be toxic to the dog if he licks it.

jennawing · #3 09-26-2006, 01:12 AM

Dogs or cats can be allergic to cortizone just like people can. A benedryl cream would be safer- though you will want to rub it in and then wipe off the excess adn ry to keep hiim form licking it. Usualy it solves the itching problem, so they are glad not to lick it anyway.

It could just be skinned or maybe a bee sting? Hard to guess why it is bothering him with no wound or sticker, etc.Our Natalie's pawpads get dry and sore sometimes, and I keep udder cream on them in the winter. Maybe that would help. Defiitely ask the vet, though, and look out for any swelling.

Formula86 · #4 09-26-2006, 02:09 AM

Penny got a too-close shave once and was really itchy. I was told I could put Aveeno Anti-Itch cream and/or Cortaid on her skin. If dogs can be allergic to cortizone, I would just use the Aveeno cream. Also, put some baby powder on top of that to help it stay on.

Hope she feels better!

corgimom · #5 09-26-2006, 09:13 AM

I called the vet's office this morning and I'm waiting for my favorite vet to call me back (there are 4 in the office. I like them all, but one has seen the boys more than the others, so I usually leave messages for him).

There have been many occaisons this summer where I have seen fire ant hills in our yard, so Lucas said he wonders if Tucker might have stepped on one going potty.

His paw is bright pink, with a small cut where he has chewed it raw, but I don't seen any distinctive rash pattern. It's just pink. I first noticed he was licking it and that it was a tiny bit pink a few days ago, and I've been keeping an eye on it. The cut is definitely something he did and not the cause of his licking, because it wasn't there the first time I looked at his foot.

Right now, he's just got triple antibiotic ointment on it, to keep the cut from getting infected. I'll let you know what the vet says when I hear from him.

corgimom · #6 09-26-2006, 09:54 AM

Update, because I just heard from the vet.

He said that it sounds like it was a minor irritation (bug bite or allergy or something) that is driving Tucker nuts and turning his licking into a compulsion. He said that there were two options. We could either try a high dosage of benadryl and if that didn't work, we could get a prescription anti-itch/anti-lick cream. Or we could just go straight to the cream.

Tucker hates taking medicine, and I haven't noticed any difference with an average dosage of Benadryl, so I decided to just go ahead and get the cream.

If it isn't making improvement by Saturday, I will take Tucker to the vet with Ein and Colleen.

Nara · #7 09-26-2006, 02:10 PM

Oh, poor Tucker. I hope the cream helps.

Elvis Lee Mommy · #8 09-26-2006, 04:06 PM

Give him a big belly rub from me & Elvis Lee

Puttin510 · #9 09-26-2006, 07:31 PM

All Tuckered out. Poor boy. I'd say that if any type of cream is put on, so should an e-collar. To be safe. If its not a bug bite, could be something he walked thru causing itchies. Or something he ate.

Chinchilla_Girl · #10 09-26-2006, 07:40 PM

Until you see the vet, the only thing I'd put on it is plain Neosporine (not the kind with the pain reliever in it) Many hydrocorizone creams contain ingredients that can harm your dog if he licks it. Plain Neosporine will help keep it from becoming infected.

What you are describing pops up often in between Kali's pads and she chews and licks it just as you describe. I treat it with the plain Neosporine and it goes away until she steps on another ant hill. It doesn't necessarily keep them from chewing/licking, as it's not ment for that, but I've noticed that with Kali, if I put Neosporine on it, it does make her feel better and she tends to leave it alone to heal.

pitbullforever · #11 09-26-2006, 10:29 PM

how is tucker doing??? better i hope just follow the vets orders should be ok

corgimom · #12 09-27-2006, 08:27 AM

UPDATE:

It's kind of hard to tell whether or not hethe medicine is helping, yet, because I didn't get home from school with the medicine until 8:30 last night. So he had his first dose late in the evening, just a few hours before bed. We'll know better tonight whether or not it's working.

I was expecting a cream because it makes sense to me to put an itch cream on an itchy spot, but the vet actually wound up giving Tucker pills. (Temaril-P Tablets) I was very nervous at first because Tucker doesn't take medicine well, but these are much smaller than the last pills we had to give him (for diahhrea, a long time ago). Those ones were murder. I bought meat flavored pill pouches from petsmart, wrapped them in cheese, coated them in peanut butter. If he found the pill, he'd spit it out and eat the rest. But these ones are MUCH smaller, so I just tossed them in his dinner and he ate them with his food. I'm going to keep giving him the neosporin to prevent infection and try and relieve them a little bit.

I'll update again tomorrow, after he's been on the meds for a while.

LuvMeTrue · #13 09-27-2006, 08:49 AM

I know that when one of my cats had an injury to one of her pads i put polysporine on it and when we brought her to the vet i let him know i did that his answer was that was a a good idea since it is safe to use as long as u use it in moderation just like anything else that u give them. so just be careful.

corgimom · #14 09-27-2006, 08:51 AM

I forgot that I do have one question. Is it possible for medication to affect a dog's bladder? I took Tucker potty right before bed (around midnight), like always, and he always goes through the night with no problem. He hasn't had a single accident in months. At 5:00 this morning (2-2 1/2 hours before wake up time), I woke up to sound of Lucas saying, "Tucker! No!" because he woke up to sound of Tucker peeing on the floor. Is it just coincidence that he had an accident the same night he took the medicine, or is it possible that the medicine will make him need to go more often. He went a good bit on the floor before we woke up and stopped him, and still peed twice as long as Ein did when I took them outside. It's strange.

corgimom · #15 09-27-2006, 07:29 PM

Another update:

Tucker's foot is looking better but he is not doing well. He has no energy and as been laying around sleeping ever since I got home. He had another accident, so I called the vet's office and was told that the meds had a steriod in them that would make him drink more, so just take him potty more frequently. I'm glad to know it's normal.

Pray his foot gets all better soon so that he can come off the meds and be his normal cheery, dopey self. I'm glad they seem to be working, but I feel bad for him because he looks so tired.