The cat's paw is swollen: reasons and what to do

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When a cat's paw is swollen, it is necessary to find the cause of this pathological phenomenon. Swelling of the paws does not appear on its own, and therefore it is important to provide the animal with the necessary help. The paw swells due to the accumulation of pus, blood or lymph in the intercellular space of its tissues. This phenomenon is caused by diseases or mechanical injuries. Depending on what caused the cat’s paw swelling, the necessary treatment is carried out. The swelling itself will go away only if its cause is a bruise. More often it affects the hind legs.

Edema and edema are different

Swelling of cat limbs is many-sided and varied, as are the causes that cause them. A cat's paws may swell:

in a separate relatively small area - with the so-called localized (local or limited, otherwise local) edema;
over a large area or over the entire surface of the limb - with generalized (or general) edema.

Often the swelling occurs on one paw of the animal (asymmetrical/asymmetrical edema), less often - on two at once (symmetrical edema).

Photo gallery: types of paw edema in cats

Localized swelling occurs in a relatively small, localized area of the cat's paw

Generalized edema covers a significant area of the animal's limb

Symmetrical swelling appears on both legs of the pet at once

Moreover, in most cases, just by the appearance and location of the swollen areas, one can assume what caused their appearance. Moreover, swelling of the paws characteristically affects the behavior of the animal and is often accompanied by additional specific symptoms.

How is the treatment carried out?

The pet must be treated according to the system chosen by the specialist, taking into account the diagnosis. A limb can swell for many reasons, so the owner should take care of preliminary diagnosis and do it as soon as possible. If the swollen paw is very inflamed, the problem is most likely an infection. In this case, the animal requires antibiotics or even surgical care.

The dog's muzzle is swollen on one side: causes

Important! You can alleviate his condition before going to the clinic with the help of cold compresses.

If you have an allergy, give an antihistamine tablet; a fungal infection will require urgent use of an antifungal agent. When swelling appears due to venous stagnation, arthritis, kidney disease, heart disease or liver disease, the underlying disease must first be treated. You should not try to treat your pet yourself or give it medications without first consulting a specialist. Edema is a symptom of many serious diseases that require urgent treatment.

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Calm, only calm: we observe and inspect

The first thing to do if your furry dog has a swollen paw is to observe his behavior. Don't panic and remember: in the process of monitoring your pet, you should get all the useful information possible. It is important for you to understand:

whether the animal is in pain;
is he afraid to lean on his swollen paw?
Is your pet limping?
has the cat become less mobile?
whether he experiences atypical stiffness in movements;
Is the animal bothered by itching?

At the next stage, you need to carefully and carefully examine the sore paw, and then the entire pet. This will reveal additional symptoms:

the presence of open wounds and suppuration in the area of edema;
changes in skin color in swollen areas (redness, paleness, or blueness);
local temperature change;
the appearance of peeling, dandruff, unpleasant odor;
increased salivation and watery eyes of the animal;
soreness in areas adjacent to the swollen body.

Peeling skin on a swollen area of a cat's paw is an additional symptom that should not be ignored.

It is important to remember that when conducting such an examination there are no trifles: if you contact a specialist, any deviation from the norm you notice (even the most insignificant) can help in making the correct diagnosis.

Your further actions will directly depend on the results obtained from observing and examining the cat.

Diagnostic methods

Regardless of the cause of the edema, it is always necessary to carry out diagnostics, which are done in an inpatient setting. This should be done by a doctor, after an examination he will be able to make an accurate diagnosis. Diagnostics helps to find out what caused the swelling, especially if it is impossible to identify visible damage and recognize the causes of the symptoms. Primary diagnosis includes a standard external examination of the limb and the animal as a whole.

The cat is limping on its front leg without visible damage

Important! It is necessary to carry out a diagnosis in any case; you should not treat your pet at home on your own without a veterinarian. This is fraught with negative consequences and deterioration of the animal’s condition.

X-ray of paws

After an external examination, blood and other body fluids are tested and, if necessary, a cardiogram is performed to evaluate the functioning of the heart. To assess damage to a limb, your doctor will perform an MRI or X-ray to check for fractures, dislocations, and bruises. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the swollen limb is treated and treatment is prescribed.

About causes and consequences: what to do next

What can be discovered when examining a swollen cat's paw, what possible cause would the identified symptoms correspond to, and how can you help your furry friend?

Table: possible symptoms, causes and treatment for swelling of the cat’s paws

Results of observations of the cat	Paw examination results	Additional symptoms	Possible cause of swelling	What to do
The animal is in pain and does not step on its paw	Mechanical damage to a limb (paw is broken, bitten, cut, dislocated, etc.)	the skin in the area of injury is red; local temperature is increased; in the presence of open wounds, suppuration is possible.	Injury	Provide first aid: Secure the paw. Apply a cold compress to the swollen area. Anesthetize the limb (for example, using an injection of Travmatin). Only a veterinarian can seek help from a specialist: take an x-ray, treat a fracture, straighten a dislocation, sew up a wound, or prescribe a course of antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs.
The animal is in severe pain and drags its paw	General asymmetric edema, no mechanical damage	the paw swells regularly; the skin in the area of damage has turned pale; local temperature is significantly reduced.	Disease or pathology of blood vessels, thrombosis, heart disease	Gently do a gentle massage of the swollen paw at intervals of ten minutes. Seek help from a specialist: removal of a blood clot often requires surgical intervention and professionally prescribed treatment with specially selected anticoagulants (drugs that prevent increased thrombus formation); otherwise the animal may lose its paw.
The animal experiences acute pain that turns into itching	General or local asymmetric edema, no mechanical damage	the paw has increased significantly in size; the skin in the area of injury is red; local temperature is increased.	Insect bite (wasp, bee)	If the cause is beyond doubt: Wipe the bite site with a mixture of nine percent table vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio. Wash off the vinegar solution with soap and water. Apply ice or a cold compress to the bite site. Give the cat Suprastin at the rate of 1/4 tablet per five kilograms of the animal’s weight (swelling will subside within 2-3 days). If the cause is not obvious or the animal’s condition continues to worsen, contact a specialist for a diagnosis and treatment.
The animal is lethargic and in severe pain	General asymmetric edema, no mechanical damage	swelling spreads from the axillary area; the axillary lymph node is enlarged and painful; body temperature is increased.	Lymphadenitis	Seek help from a specialist: treatment should be aimed at combating the cause that caused the inflammation of the lymph node; Only a professional can determine this reason with the help of special studies.
The animal does not experience pain (or almost no pain), but suffers from itching	General asymmetric or symmetrical edema, no mechanical damage	local temperature is reduced; the cat has a runny nose; saliva flows; eyes water.	Allergic reaction	If the reaction is severe, use a one-time antihistamine (eg, diphenhydramine injection) to relieve symptoms. Contact a specialist to confirm the diagnosis and prescribe the most appropriate drug for a particular animal. Determine the source of allergens and isolate from the animal.
The animal has a limp and moves stiffly	Local asymmetric edema, no mechanical damage	swelling appeared in the joint area; When palpating the edema, the animal experiences pain.	Joint disease (arthrosis, arthritis)	Seek help from a specialist: the doctor will prescribe a course of antibiotics, a suitable painkiller (if necessary) and select the correct dosage of special nutritional supplements - glucosamine and chondroitin.
The animal does not experience pain or visible discomfort	General symmetrical edema	both hind legs are swollen; swelling gradually spreads from the toes up the paw.	Disease of the internal organs (most often the heart or kidneys)	Contact a specialist for a diagnosis and treatment.
The animal is not in pain, but has become inactive	General asymmetric edema	The paw has greatly increased in size	Mammary cancer	Contact a specialist for a diagnosis and treatment (in most cases, surgery).
The animal is not in pain, but has become passive, may cough and refuse food	Local asymmetric edema	the skin in the area of edema peels off; dandruff appeared; the coat is dull; there is an unpleasant smell.	Mycosis (fungal infection)	To alleviate the condition, use a one-time antifungal drug (for example, Fungin). Seek help from a specialist: he will prescribe the necessary tests and, based on their results, select the appropriate drug.
The animal does not experience pain or visible discomfort	Local symmetrical or asymmetrical swelling of the paw pad	the paw pad softened and became bluish; the skin of the pad is dry with local thickenings.	Plasmacytic pododermatitis	Seek help from a specialist: he will conduct the necessary research and prescribe antibacterial (if necessary) and hormonal therapy.
The animal is limping or dragging its paw, its gait has changed	Local asymmetric edema	the skin in the area of injury is red; local temperature is increased; when palpating the edema, the animal experiences pain; When you press on the swollen area, you may notice liquid pus.	Abscess (purulent infection)	Seek help from a specialist: he will open the abscess, wash the wound with a disinfectant solution, remove dead tissue, stitch the wound, provide the necessary drainage and prescribe a course of antibiotics.

Thus, if a cat’s paw is swollen, the owner of the animal should not rely solely on his own knowledge and skills: in this case, the help of a veterinarian is necessary. Too serious reasons can be hidden even behind minor swelling; the risk to the animal’s health is too great. After all, even a simple wasp sting in exceptional cases can cause anaphylactic shock. So a visit to a specialist is not too high a price to pay for the well-being of your pet.

And under no circumstances should you squeeze out an abscess while trying to rid your cat of an abscess on your own: manipulations carried out unprofessionally and in unsterile conditions can cause sepsis (blood poisoning).

Only a specialist can open an abscess and remove pus from it without endangering the health of the animal.

The cat's paw is swollen: the main reasons

Edema is an excess accumulation of fluid in tissues. It develops as a result of an inflammatory process when the amount of incoming fluid exceeds the volume of outflow. The affected surface increases in size. Most often, swelling is noticeable on the paws, because in such cases the behavior changes: the cat holds the limb suspended or limps.

Swellings on the paws develop for the following reasons:

injuries - wounds, dislocations, sprains, fractures;
allergy;
arthritis - inflammatory diseases of the joints;
chronic diseases of the kidneys, liver, heart;
lymphadenitis;
malignant tumor.

The cat owner can try to make a preliminary diagnosis on his own. You should pay attention to which limbs are affected, rear or front? Swelling is expressed on both paws or just one. The cat holds his paw up, or leans on it, but limps.

Is there a noticeable cut on the paw, is there bleeding? Are additional pathological symptoms detected? If the cause is established, first aid is provided and sent to the clinic. If the cause of the swelling is unknown, seek veterinary help without providing first aid.

Why is it important to find “your” doctor?

Unfortunately, sometimes the cause of swelling of a cat's paw can be a completely ordinary visit to the veterinarian. The first time I encountered such a situation was when my friend was preparing her Sphynx to move to a distant country. By all indications, the cat was absolutely healthy, but the rules required some kind of special blood test. At the veterinary clinic, blood from the vein was taken for analysis without any problems and a pressure bandage was applied to the injured paw to prevent the formation of a hematoma. Everything was done according to the rules, but they forgot to warn the owner that the bandage needed to be removed in about an hour. And my conscientious friend, deciding that it was better to be safe than sorry, left her paw wrapped until the morning (it was in the evening). And early in the morning it turned out that the long-suffering cat’s limb was twice as thick as it was the day before. Fortunately, nothing irreparable happened: it did not lead to tissue necrosis, the paw remained warm and retained sensitivity. So periodic massage and a loose bandage of alcohol-soaked gauze (recommended by another veterinarian) reduced the swelling by lunchtime. The second case directly affected my pet: during the drip administration of vitamins, a poorly secured catheter moved, and the drug went under the skin (instead of a vein). The paw was swollen, any touch to it caused pain, the baby refused to eat. A repeat visit to the veterinarian and a tight bandage with magnesium sulfate applied for an hour and a half corrected the situation. And this time, fortunately, there were also no serious consequences (in the form of an abscess, for example). As it turns out, such cases happen periodically. What can you do: cats are far from the calmest and most obedient patients. However, whatever you say, the doctor’s qualifications also play an important role. Therefore, do not be lazy to make inquiries and find a truly good specialist for your pet (if you value his health, of course). Believe me: a visit to the veterinary clinic closest to your home is not always the right step.

Surgical removal of the tumor

In more severe cases, surgical removal of the tumor is used:

Serious arthritis and arthrosis. Dead tissue is excised and, in ideal cases, joint replacement implants are installed.

Malignant and benign tumors. They are cut out, trying (especially in the case of cancer) to capture as much adjacent tissue as possible. In addition, chemotherapy drugs are prescribed for cancer.
Hematomas. They are opened, the cavity is washed with hydrogen peroxide and filled with antiseptic powder.

Joint inflammation

Older animals, animals with injuries, and those lacking vitamins and minerals may develop arthritis. The disease is accompanied not only by pain (which the cat cannot talk about), but also by asymmetrical swelling: the animal becomes limited in its movements, its flexibility and dexterity are not worth talking about.

Only a veterinarian can diagnose arthritis. Treatment is carried out in a course, the following drugs can be prescribed:

"Meloxicam" - relieves pain syndromes.
Antibacterial drugs are mandatory because they can quickly relieve inflammation and reduce the severity of pain.
"Sinulox" is one of the safest drugs for animals, as it is non-toxic.
Chondroprotectors - help restore damaged joint tissue.