A pet's foot pad injury can be tricky to heal, but
there's a few tricks that can help owners clean, disinfect, bandage and
heal their pet's wound.
An animal’s paw pads are particularly prone to injury
– they’re exposed to sharp objects like broken glass and extreme
temperatures. They're easy to bite and chew, which is a common response
to discomfort caused by injury, irritation or allergies. Combine this
with the fact that the thick skin on the paw pad is constantly exposed
to bacteria, pressure and irritation from footsteps, and the result is a
recipe for a difficult-to-heal area.
Competitive musher Edward Long is no stranger to paw pad injuries, as
his sled dogs have sustained many cuts, punctures and scrapes over the
years. Caring for his dog sled team has enabled Long to refine his
technique used to promote the healing of more minor paw pad injuries.
Long offered the following tips to pet owners.
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 involves
cleaning and removing debris from the wound. But 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 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 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.
“I’ve found it’s helpful to test out bandage tightness by wrapping
your own arm or leg. Wait ten minutes and if you feel any tingling or
discomfort, you need to loosen the wrap,” Long explained.
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.
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.
there's a few tricks that can help owners clean, disinfect, bandage and
heal their pet's wound.
An animal’s paw pads are particularly prone to injury
– they’re exposed to sharp objects like broken glass and extreme
temperatures. They're easy to bite and chew, which is a common response
to discomfort caused by injury, irritation or allergies. Combine this
with the fact that the thick skin on the paw pad is constantly exposed
to bacteria, pressure and irritation from footsteps, and the result is a
recipe for a difficult-to-heal area.
Competitive musher Edward Long is no stranger to paw pad injuries, as
his sled dogs have sustained many cuts, punctures and scrapes over the
years. Caring for his dog sled team has enabled Long to refine his
technique used to promote the healing of more minor paw pad injuries.
Long offered the following tips to pet owners.
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 involves
cleaning and removing debris from the wound. But 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 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 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.
“I’ve found it’s helpful to test out bandage tightness by wrapping
your own arm or leg. Wait ten minutes and if you feel any tingling or
discomfort, you need to loosen the wrap,” Long explained.
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.
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.
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