My dog has a red, swollen, irritated area around his toe/between his toes

Poor guy. A few things commonly look like this: an interdigital cyst (basically a deep pimple between the toes, super common in dogs that lick their paws), a foxtail or other seed lodged in the skin, a broken nail at the base, or an infection from allergy licking. One thing worth taking seriously this time of year: if you've walked him anywhere with dry grass, foxtails are a real possibility. They burrow inward and won't come out on their own, and the classic look is a single swollen, draining spot between the toes. If that's a maybe, I'd get him seen in the next day or two rather than treating at home. For safe home care in the meantime: a warm water soak for the paw a few times a day, pat it fully dry, and stop him from licking it (a cone helps more than anything you can put on the skin). I'd skip human creams. Most get licked off anyway, and some, like anything with zinc, aren't safe if swallowed. Sounds like a vet visit this week is the right call, since between-the-toes issues tend to smolder rather than heal on their own. Hope he's feeling better soon, and update us with what it turns out to be.