How do I remove something stuck between my dog's toes?

Have your dog sit or lie down, then gently spread the toes on the affected paw as wide as comfortable, using good lighting or a flashlight if needed. Most debris, grass blades, small pebbles, bits of gravel, sits visibly between the pads rather than truly embedded and comes out easily once you can see it clearly.

Clean fingers or a pair of tweezers work well for grasping the object and pulling it out in the same direction it went in, rather than twisting or angling, which can push it deeper or scratch the sensitive skin between the toes.

A grass seed or thorn that has worked its way into the skin itself, rather than simply resting between the toes, often leaves a small, visible entry point with swelling around it and cannot be safely removed at home. This is common enough with foxtail type grass seeds that it is worth knowing the difference between something loose and something embedded before attempting removal.

If your dog regularly walks through areas prone to debris, gravel paths, wooded trails, keeping a small pair of blunt tipped tweezers in your walking bag means you can address something caught between the toes immediately on the spot, rather than your dog limping the rest of the way home with something uncomfortable still lodged there.

Afterward, checking that no small fragment of the object broke off and remains behind, by running a finger through the same spot once more, ensures the removal was complete rather than leaving a smaller piece that could continue to cause irritation.