my rottie is 2 years old, i've just noticed a lump between her toes, it feels like a hard absess. it doesn't seem to bother her and only noticed when she got a twig stuck between her paws after her walk. i've owned lots of cross breeds before but this is my first pedigree since i was a kid and my parents mostly dealt with him.
Should i be taking her to the vets or is there anything else i could treat it with?

It sounds like an interdigital cyst, which any dog can get. Alternatively it could be an abscess forming round an embedded grass sedd. Try soaking the foot in warm, slightly salty water for a few minutes, and it's best to get the vet to check it because they can get quite infected.

I agree with JG and have fairly recently had the nightmare of these with my dog.  If you do a search of the site and look for interdigital cysts there will be loads of info.

These are common in my breed,

Interdigital Cysts: Red lumps that appear between the toes on the front feet, causes include inverted hair follicles, grass seeds or cutting very long toe nails and altering the pressure put on the toes. There is very little that can be done to prevent interdigital cysts but you can help alleviate them by soaking the dogs feet in a solution of Epsom Salts and cooled kettle water, dry thoroughly and apply MSM Cream between each toe. A short course of anti biotics may help in the short term. If your dog will allow it squeeze out anything that is ready to burst prior to soaking the feet in the salt solution

what is msm cream?  And where can it be bought?  thanks

i buy mine from bulldog rescue it a bit like sudocream, you can use sudocream but msm is less greasy/ heavy
www.bulldogrescue.co.uk
go to reggies den

cool, thanks.  Good to know.

One of my chows had this, just a small pea sized lump. The vet said to leave it a week to see if it went down but by then it was the size of a gob stopper and ulcerated as he was walking on it! He had it removed but lost the webbing between his toe :( 

One of my chows used to get interdigital cysts.I use to bath them in salt water then used to put some yellow padsanol or bob grass ointment on with a bandage on to keep dirt out.
Bob Grass ointment is easier to get hold of.
They are very sore.

Hi,I have a cairn terrier,He has had two opperations to remove interdigital cycts.The vet's had these analysed and just said "There's nothing we can do,Just soak his feet in salt water several times a day".This suffering went on for several more years on all paws with more cycts,this year was getting even worst.He was having them every other week on the two front paws.
Watching him suffer was terrible so i researched a cure,urekka!!!!!! I FOUND IT.
I SOAK HIS FEET IN EPSOM SALTS TWICE A DAY AFTER HIS WALK.
I ALSO USED MSM CREAM ON HIS LAST CYST
I GIVE HIM 1 FENUGREEK & GARLIC TABLET AND 1 MIXED VEGETABLE TABLET A DAY
THESE ARE SUPPLIED BY DORWEST OFF EBAY.(FOXYPETS)
  My cairn terrier has not had a cyst for 7 weeks now and my fingers are crossed.I just want the whole dog world too know this.
I hope this is of use to you.
                                      steve.

Hi,I have a cairn terrier,He has had two opperations to remove interdigital cycts.The vet's had these analysed and just said "There's nothing we can do,Just soak his feet in salt water several times a day".This suffering went on for several more years on all paws with more cycts,this year was getting even worst.He was having them every other week on the two front paws.
Watching him suffer was terrible so i researched a cure,urekka!!!!!! I FOUND IT.
I SOAK HIS FEET IN EPSOM SALTS TWICE A DAY AFTER HIS WALK.
I ALSO USED MSM CREAM ON HIS LAST CYST
I GIVE HIM 1 FENUGREEK & GARLIC TABLET AND 1 MIXED VEGETABLE TABLET A DAY
THESE ARE SUPPLIED BY DORWEST OFF EBAY.(FOXYPETS)
  My cairn terrier has not had a cyst for 7 weeks now and my fingers are crossed.I just want the whole dog world too know this.
I hope this is of use to you.
                                      steve.