Abby Sunshine

Little Pupper Wupper was walking along, and surprisingly, we noticed that she was limping. Picture this, Abby is bringing the ball, wanting a game of fetch, but as she walks, with tail wagging and a perky look in her eye, she is favoring her left front leg and protecting her right leg. Of course, we had to get a better look and we found that on the pad of her foot, there was an abrasion. Poor little dog. She must have stepped on something that cut her foot. Luckily it didn’t look bad, but it did look like something we must care for properly to avoid damage. She uses those paws a lot.

I found this information about taking care of a dog’s paw pad.

Treating a Paw Pad Injury at Home – Cleaning the Dog’s Wound

One of the first steps in treating a cut on a dog’s paw is cleaning and removing debris from the wound. First, if the dog has a nail injury, this should be dealt with before proceeding. If necessary, trim back the broken nail to help prevent additional pain and irritation. If a dog’s nail is broken at the very base, this will require veterinary attention.

The next step for handling an injured paw involves cleaning the wound and removing debris from the pad, as it’s not uncommon for debris to become embedded inside a cut or other similar injury. Soaking the foot in a bath of warm water with Epsom salts for a period of ten to fifteen minutes can serve to soften the skin and flush away debris.

Swishing the dog’s injured foot back and forth through the water can help to dislodge debris painlessly.

Following the foot bath, paper towels can be used to pat the foot dry.

Owners should then examine the paw pad injury for remaining debris, which can be removed from the injury site using tweezers.

Disinfecting the wound site using Betadine (or Providone Iodine) will kill bacteria is cleared away, lessening the chance for a potentially painful infection in the dog’s paw. The Betadine should be poured over the wound or dabbed onto the injury using a sterile gauze pad.

Allow the Betadine to air-dry while the foot is held off the ground. It’s best to avoid hydrogen peroxide, as this damages the tissue, resulting in slowed healing, and other antiseptics, like alcohol, sting and dry out the wound site.

During the first couple days post-foot injury, antibiotic ointment (we used Bacitracin) can be dabbed onto the paw wound to help prevent infection.

Bandaging a Paw Pad Injury on a Dog

The dog’s feet are one of the few areas that are routinely bandaged following an injury.

Veterinarians usually prefer to leave wounds uncovered, as bandaging decreases the airflow to the wound site, resulting in ideal conditions for the growth of anaerobic bacteria. But bandaging a wounded paw pad will allow for less irritation and the maintenance of a debris-free cut.

Rolled gauze is ideal for bandaging a paw pad injury. Two or three layers of rolled gauze can be wrapped in a figure eight pattern around the paw and ankle.

The bandage should be applied in a manner that’s taught but not tight, as an overly tight bandage will decrease circulation and inhibit healing.

A few layers of self-adhering bandage applied over the gauze will provide a more durable covering that’s suitable for walking. Self-adhering bandages are available in the first aid section of the drug store alongside Ace bandages and joint braces.

It’s important to avoid a large bulky bandage, as dogs are more apt to bite and chew at a bulky bandage. No more than 2-3 layers of gauze and 2-3 layers of self-adhering bandage are required; this will be sufficient to keep debris and bacteria off the dog’s injured paw.

All done!

Caring for a Wounded Paw

For visits outdoors, plastic wrap or a sandwich bag can be placed over the dog’s, and secured with a piece of tape around the ankle. This will prevent bandage soiling. In addition, walks should be limited to bathroom trips only for at least one week; this will allow the paw pad injury to heal.

The wound should be washed using antibacterial soap, like Dial, twice daily. After each washing, the paw cut or wound should be disinfected using betadine and wrapped as mentioned above.

For pets who chew and pick at the bandage, an Elizabethan collar, also known as an “e-collar” or “lampshade” can be purchased from pet supply stores or from a vet’s office. New inflatable e-collars (they look like a human neck pillow) are another great option to prevent the dog from licking the injured paw.

In the days following a paw pad injury, it’s important to monitor the wound for signs of infection, continued limping and non-weight bearing, which warrant a visit to the vet for an exam.