My Dog Has What Looks Like a Blood Blister
Blood blisters can be extremely uncomfortable for your furry loved one. They typically occur when their paw gets pinched – such as being caught in a door hinge or from scratching too aggressively.
Blood blisters resemble friction blisters but contain blood instead. As they cover an important barrier against infection, it is wise to refrain from popping these blisters too easily.
Causes
Cracked skin blisters or pustules may be caused by any number of conditions, making it hard even for a veterinarian to make an accurate diagnosis just by looking at your dog. But these symptoms should never be ignored, as they could progress into more serious health issues that require early treatment if left unattended.
Hematomas are one of the main causes of blood blisters, appearing as solid swellings of clotted blood similar to pustules but without pus. Hematomas typically show up on bellys, ears and other parts of the body and are easy to spot due to how they swell up and discolor over time.
Your pup could develop a hematoma from hitting something hard with their ears, scratching themselves too much, biting their own tongue too often or stepping on something sharp. Hematomas may also form from trauma such as when your pup takes a hard hit to their head or gets hit by a car – they tend to form most commonly around friction points like ears.
An ear hematoma can lead to excessive head shaking, leading to hearing problems or deafness. Hematomas can be extremely painful for your dog and rupture may result in internal bleeding resulting from its rupture.
Hematomas may take time to heal, but your fur child must refrain from scratching the area. Otherwise, further complications such as secondary infections or blood blisters could develop. You can prevent him from scratching by providing him with some ear mite drops or giving them an Elizabethan collar.
Your veterinarian will drain the hematoma while your pup is under anesthesia and then clean the affected area, remove any clots and suture to stop further blood from reentering it. They should also work on treating any potential causes for this issue such as issues with his ears or conditions that might contribute to it happening again in future.
Symptoms
Blood blisters are hardened red masses or lumps on your dog’s skin that form as a result of friction or pinched areas such as scratched ears or tongue biting. They typically develop in areas of friction such as an ear scratched by an animal, scratched paw or biting tongue.
Your dog might not exhibit any visible symptoms that it has a blood blister. While the discomfort might be painful or itchy, many animals simply lick at it until it heals on its own. Excessive licking could lead to infection and additional blisters forming. For this reason, using deterrent spray or Elizabethan collar is recommended in order to stop your pup from licking excessively and increasing its chance of infection and more blisters forming.
If the blood blister is causing discomfort or your pup is distressed by it (scratching, chewing), you should contact your vet as soon as possible. A vet can give your pup an appropriate cone of shame while draining away excess blood so it doesn’t recur or cause further issues.
Your pup should visit a veterinarian immediately if their blood blister doesn’t improve within several days or becomes very large or swollen, which are both signs that their hematoma needs treatment in order to remain comfortable for him or her.
Blood blisters on your dog could take weeks or even months to heal naturally; with professional intervention from a veterinarian they should heal much faster.
Cysts are another form of hematoma that should be evaluated and treated promptly by your vet, appearing similar to blood blisters yet lacking the liquid inside them. Your veterinarian must assess and treat them according to severity.
Floppy-eared dogs may suffer from an ear hematopia if blood accumulates between the skin and cartilage in the ear canal, potentially becoming life-threatening. Therefore, please seek veterinary advice as soon as possible to address this potentially life-threatening situation as soon as possible – your vet may need to drain away blood to stop further leakage into other parts of their body or provide appropriate treatments to address this condition.
Treatment
If your pup has a blood blister and doesn’t show signs of discomfort (whimpering, drooling), it is best to leave it alone; over time the blood will reabsorb on its own and won’t do any further harm to their pup. However, if it occurs near an area they frequently scratch or chew at, a cone of shame should be applied until healing occurs so as to prevent further damage occurring.
Prevention isn’t always possible, but you can help your pup avoid blood blisters with some steps such as:
Always ensure your pup remains hydrated when exercising or swimming; doing so will prevent their skin from drying out and cracking, potentially leading to blisters on their paws.
Your pup would do best being walked on soft surfaces like grass or sidewalks rather than rough terrain or hot pavement, while using a towel as protection for their paw pads when walking on asphalt or cement surfaces.
Let your pup lick or chew at their feet excessively; doing so could result in blood blisters. If your pup shows any sign of excessive foot-licking or chewing, contact your vet immediately as allergies or other potential conditions could be the culprits – such as skin fold dermatitis or histiocytomas.
Skin abnormalities that resemble blood blisters could actually be tumors or cysts; once identified, these should be evaluated by your veterinarian immediately for possible treatment options for your fur kid.
Ecchymoses is another condition that resembles blood blisters; this pocket of fluid located beneath the skin. A vet will use a sterilized needle to drain any trapped blood from within, apply polysporin, and bandage it over for treatment if necessary, with symptoms dissipating within a day or two if possible; otherwise they will need to visit their veterinarian and get it removed while under anesthesia.
Prevention
Blood blisters can be avoided by regularly washing the paw pads after walks over rough terrain and keeping your dog from excessively licking their pads, thus reducing friction and helping the area heal faster. If your dog licks excessively, use an Elizabethan collar or deterrent spray to stop this behavior; alternatively give a topical balm such as Paw Soother or Paw Nectar designed to reduce friction and soothe any affected areas.
It is crucial that if your dog appears to have what appears to be blood blisters for more than a few weeks, particularly if the symptoms persist; these could be indicators of serious issues like an infection or cancer.
If the blister is on the palm or sole of your foot, your veterinarian can prescribe anti-inflammatory medication to assist its healing. If there are signs of infection such as redness around the blister, pus coming from it or fever then be sure to visit your vet as soon as possible to avoid further complications.
Other blood blisters may not necessitate medical intervention; typically the result of pinching injuries that do not break skin, they tend to appear dark red or purple in color with small pockets filled with bloody fluid covered by skin that will dry up and peel off on their own after approximately a week.
Blood blisters in between and on paw pads of dogs can be particularly troublesome as they require special care in order to heal properly. To keep them clean and to promote healing, regularly clean paw pads with antibacterial soap before bandaging them. If rubbing against the ground causes discomfort for your pup, wrap a piece of moleskin (available from drug stores) around the painful spot to provide cushioned comfort while it heals.
