Hello my name is Amanda. My husky is 8 years old and named Blade. He is having problems with his paw. I pulled glass out of it yesterday and have no idea how it got there. His paw is now discoloured and red. It is swollen and hot to the touch. Is there anything I can do other then going to the vet with him? He doesn't like water very much either. He is kind of a wimp.

If he were mine, I'd take him to the vet because I'm a worry wart and would be concerned there could more shards of glass in there. You don't want an infection to develop and the pads of the feet can be very slow to heal. In the meantime I'd recommend cleaning it very well first, apply some hydrogen peroxide or betadine-then rinse and dry and apply some topical antibiotic ointment like Neosporin.

I honestly don't know if he would let me. He doesn't like his paws being touched and gets very upset when they are. I cleaned it with warm water and a cloth last night and that didn't go over well.

Obviously a trip to the vet is the best idea. It sounds like it got irritated from the glass and an infection might occur. Or there is more glass you don't see. Mushers secret is good to protect his paws and probably help the healing process. It is made for sled-dogs and is great for protection against anything they walk on. It is a wax-based product that you apply all over the paw. You have to go to a legit pet store to find it though, petsmart/co do not carry it.

I had the tiniest piece of glass in my foot before, like a splinter. It is very painful and hard to remove, especially if it is clear glass, it is almost an invisible shard.

I appreciate the help guys. I had no idea what I should do for him.

Then he needs to go to the doctor. Since you said it's swollen and hot to the touch, I'm sure it's hurting him terribly. He'll be even less apt to want you messing with it and you don't want to risk infection.

No I don't. Not at all. As I was sitting with him last night trying to look at it I touched it lightly and he got very upset with me.

I'm a little confused with your responses. Are you against taking the dog to the vet?

No I am not I just want to see if there is anything I can do at home first before we go to the vet.

Is your dog able to put any weight onto the paw? How well is his movement? On a scale of one to ten (ten being the worst), how bad is he limping?

Also, have you tried flushing out the paw with warm water? From the sounds of it, you'll definitely need somebody to help you. Also, if you do flush it out, remember not to use too much pressure or you might pierce the flesh and push the glass in deeper.

Where was he before you noticed he was having issues with his paw?

If it's red and irritated, then ultimately, the best thing to do would be to take him a vet. If there's an infection brewing, it'll be better for a vet to see him sooner rather than later.

i would say vet as it sounds like infection but you can also try Epsom salt in warm water, read directions on the box and soak his paw in it.

He is able to put some weight on it. He is maybe at a five right now but I noticed as te day progresses he can put a little more weight on it. He was in my back yard playing like normal when we noticed him limping.

Yeah, that would be a vet visit for me. If they are limping (and it's for more than 5 minutes in an isolated event), that screams vet. You don't want the infection to get into the bloodstream so the sooner you take him to the vet, the better (and cheaper) it will be for you.

Good luck - keep us all posted!