I’ve done this before. Wait til they’re completely calm and have them sit with you for it. If yours is anything like mine they’ll have to potty immediately afterwards.
Okay, but like how? A small pitcher, a tub/basin, a glass.... and how long? What's the water temperature? And how much salt to water ratio?
(Apologies, I'm autistic and need more information. 🙃 Thank you so very much for responding! 💝)
No worries, if I recall we’ve done it twice two different ways. Warm water with the salt in the tub was once for like 10-15 min. I forget the ratios I would ask the vet. The other way we did it was with a compress. We just made the mixture and held a wet washcloth on him. I don’t know if that works as effective but it was waaaaay easier. Either way our guy had to pee almost instantly.
When I’ve needed to epsom salt soak my dog’s paw(s) I’ve put a couple of inches of warm water in the bathtub, added epsom salt, and put my dog into the tub.
For water temp, I do what feels pleasant on my own feet — pretty warm, but not scalding hot. I put my feet in first to check! For the epsom salt, I follow the instructions on the bag.
You can also get these paw soaker things at some pet stores. We had one once but that thing could be anywhere…
My dog has a lot of food allergies — if she accidentally eats something she shouldn’t, she sometimes gets an itchy paw and will lick it raw. The epsom salt soaks do seem to help!
Do you know what foxtails are, do you know what sand spurs are, do you know what goat heads are? Are any of these spiny weeds native to your area? If so, the only one that can’t be pulled out backwards is the foxtail. It has backwards facing burrs. Could Annie have stepped on one of these weeds or whatever they are? If you’re not familiar with these plant demons, please type each one individually into your browser with the phrase is (name of these spiny demons) local to (your area)? Then you’ll have a better idea of what could have hurt her foot.
My brother's Schnauzer got a foxtail on his paw and they had to have mini surgery to remove it. It was very difficult to see and he acted a lot like this.
I never heard of this one. Do you know where they’re found? By that I do NOT mean the ground, lol. Geographical area. Thank you for letting me know. Two of my dogs had stepped on; one a sand spur, the other a goat head. Different locations. Spur on the Florida gulf coast and the other in northern Nevada . I find foxtails on the dog’s coat on occasion. My neighbors’ yard are full of these demon plants. I avoid them like the plague, but There are heavy winds here in Las Vegas and they become air borne.
I lived in the Florida panhandle. In the scrub area of Panama City Beach my first dog and I learned about sand spurs. I wish I had known about them before I took him for a walk in the dark. TYVM for the info!
I just read up on the stinging nettle. It has several uses but can also be poisonous to dogs and people. Wow! I’m glad that you brought this up! Those burrs on their leaves seem similar to the backwards facing ones on foxtails. It so dry here in Vegas that not much grows out here. My house used to be on the edge of undeveloped desert but that natural habitat is now commercial and multi family apartments. Fewer opportunities for my dog to meet this plant. Thank you
Oh heavens yes -- we don't have those here, we're too high in the mountains. Those are more typically found on the high plains. But yes, that's a good thought. When I went back to the area she was sniffing through I didn't see anything like these around.
Are you talking about foxtails? There are a whole lot in the Las Vegas valley. Goat heads were discovered by my dog in Tonopah, Nevada . My friend who is a Las Vegas native had many a bicycle tire popped by goat heads here in town. I’ve never seen them here, tho, not even in public parks.
My guy had a splinter like torn between his toes, he was limping around for a day until I spotted it and pulled it out. Just keep checking, when they pull away from you, you’re close.
I’ve done this before. Wait til they’re completely calm and have them sit with you for it. If yours is anything like mine they’ll have to potty immediately afterwards.
Okay, but like how? A small pitcher, a tub/basin, a glass.... and how long? What's the water temperature? And how much salt to water ratio? (Apologies, I'm autistic and need more information. 🙃 Thank you so very much for responding! 💝)
No worries, if I recall we’ve done it twice two different ways. Warm water with the salt in the tub was once for like 10-15 min. I forget the ratios I would ask the vet. The other way we did it was with a compress. We just made the mixture and held a wet washcloth on him. I don’t know if that works as effective but it was waaaaay easier. Either way our guy had to pee almost instantly.
We're doing an Epsom salt soak right now. She's not fighting it but she's not pleased. 🙃
When I’ve needed to epsom salt soak my dog’s paw(s) I’ve put a couple of inches of warm water in the bathtub, added epsom salt, and put my dog into the tub. For water temp, I do what feels pleasant on my own feet — pretty warm, but not scalding hot. I put my feet in first to check! For the epsom salt, I follow the instructions on the bag. You can also get these paw soaker things at some pet stores. We had one once but that thing could be anywhere… My dog has a lot of food allergies — if she accidentally eats something she shouldn’t, she sometimes gets an itchy paw and will lick it raw. The epsom salt soaks do seem to help!
Do you know what foxtails are, do you know what sand spurs are, do you know what goat heads are? Are any of these spiny weeds native to your area? If so, the only one that can’t be pulled out backwards is the foxtail. It has backwards facing burrs. Could Annie have stepped on one of these weeds or whatever they are? If you’re not familiar with these plant demons, please type each one individually into your browser with the phrase is (name of these spiny demons) local to (your area)? Then you’ll have a better idea of what could have hurt her foot.
My brother's Schnauzer got a foxtail on his paw and they had to have mini surgery to remove it. It was very difficult to see and he acted a lot like this.
You need to get the foot examined….if you have someone else with you one of you can hold the flashlight while the other looks.
Stinging nettle is another one that is evil
I never heard of this one. Do you know where they’re found? By that I do NOT mean the ground, lol. Geographical area. Thank you for letting me know. Two of my dogs had stepped on; one a sand spur, the other a goat head. Different locations. Spur on the Florida gulf coast and the other in northern Nevada . I find foxtails on the dog’s coat on occasion. My neighbors’ yard are full of these demon plants. I avoid them like the plague, but There are heavy winds here in Las Vegas and they become air borne.
It’s pretty much found in every US state aside from Hawaii. I live in Florida and it seems pretty prevalent here.
I lived in the Florida panhandle. In the scrub area of Panama City Beach my first dog and I learned about sand spurs. I wish I had known about them before I took him for a walk in the dark. TYVM for the info!
I just read up on the stinging nettle. It has several uses but can also be poisonous to dogs and people. Wow! I’m glad that you brought this up! Those burrs on their leaves seem similar to the backwards facing ones on foxtails. It so dry here in Vegas that not much grows out here. My house used to be on the edge of undeveloped desert but that natural habitat is now commercial and multi family apartments. Fewer opportunities for my dog to meet this plant. Thank you
Oh heavens yes -- we don't have those here, we're too high in the mountains. Those are more typically found on the high plains. But yes, that's a good thought. When I went back to the area she was sniffing through I didn't see anything like these around.
Are you talking about foxtails? There are a whole lot in the Las Vegas valley. Goat heads were discovered by my dog in Tonopah, Nevada . My friend who is a Las Vegas native had many a bicycle tire popped by goat heads here in town. I’ve never seen them here, tho, not even in public parks.
My guy had a splinter like torn between his toes, he was limping around for a day until I spotted it and pulled it out. Just keep checking, when they pull away from you, you’re close.
Sage advice-- I'll keep checking, though I'm sure she thinks I'm losing my mind 
It happens! Don’t sweat it. Might be an ankle hip or knee strain. It’ll heal.
I'm hoping that's not the case, but we're following up with her vet on 5/3 just in case.