A routine review of the pads and interdigital spaces of our dogs helps us prevent the chronification and worsening of injuries. One of the most common lesions are interdigital cysts, very striking and common in dogs, although generated by disparate causes.
To learn more about interdigital cysts in dogs, symptoms and the treatment they require, keep reading this interesting article on our site.
What are interdigital cysts? What causes cause them?
The interdigital cysts in dogs can be formed by different causes, but all of them, externally, will look likeerythematous nodules of different consistencies located between the fingers. These nodules have a tendency to fistulize and can cause ulcers and a serosanguineous or purulent exudate.
These are very painful injuries that can even cause lameness in our dog and the continuous licking observed in our dog perpetuates the inflammation and infection. For a correct examination and initial cure, the dog must be sedated on numerous occasions since it is a very distressing process for the animal.
As a schematic we are going to enumerate the different causes:
- Foreign bodies: in dogs that go out a lot to the field it is very common for spikes to get stuck in this and other areas. When the spike or other material lodges, an inflammatory reaction occurs. In addition, it can form a path, introducing itself even more and making it difficult to extract.
- Interdigital Furunculosis: In breeds with short, wiry hair, such as the English bulldog, continuous trauma caused by these hairs causes them to tend to towards the interior of the follicle, breaking and releasing keratin. This causes inflammation and secondary infection.
- Neoplasia: Neoplasia is an abnormal growth of tissue and is ruled out by performing a biopsy.
- Allergies: Some dogs have a predisposition to environmental or food allergies. The itching they generate makes the dog lick in areas such as the interdigital spaces, causing nodules.
- Scabies: Demodectic mange causes very pruritic lesions and usually appears localized, such as the interdigital space of the legs of the dog. This type of scabies is ruled out by deep scraping and biopsy.
- Autoimmune diseases: ruled out by cytology and biopsy.
- Other less common causes are endocrine disorders.
In the case of the last four causes, we will see several extremities affected, as well as lesions in other body locations.
Diagnosis of interdigital cysts in dogs
Observing the multiple causes that induce the formation of these cysts, it is very important to carry out a correct clinical history, anamnesis and complementary diagnostic tests that lead us to the definitive diagnosis.
Treatment of interdigital cysts in dogs
The treatment of these cysts will be focused on their etiology:
- In the case of cysts formed by allergic components, the underlying cause and predisposing factors must be corrected, in addition to treating the secondary infection.
- Those formed by foreign bodies lodged in the interdigital spaces will be treated by extracting them, curettage of the lesion and the establishment of topical treatment (solutions, ointments) and systemic treatment (antibiotics and anti-inflammatories).
- Interdigital furunculosis will be treated in a similar way to the previous one.
- In neoplasms, surgical excision and possible medical treatment will be assessed.
- Autoimmune processes should be treated with immune modulators.
A novel therapy with bactericidal and anti-inflammatory action is the therapeutic laser, increasingly used.
