This article was co-authored by Lauren Baker, DVM, PhD and by How.com.vn staff writer, Luke Smith, MFA. Dr. Lauren Baker is a Veterinarian and Assistant Scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. With over 10 years in veterinary medicine, she specializes in the concept of “one health,” which uses insights from veterinary medicine to help human medical research. She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Biomedical Sciences, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, an MS in Comparative Biomedical Sciences, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 389,364 times.
Paw pads insulate and cushion vital bones and joints, and provide much-needed traction. Because dogs are constantly on their feet, paws are susceptible to tears and other injuries. Dogs aren’t very good at treating these wounds themselves, so some immediate first aid and TLC are necessary. We’ll show you how to clean and bandage a paw pad wound, support your dog’s long-term recovery, and prevent and recognize further injuries.
Things You Should Know
- Fill a bucket or bowl with warm water and 1Â Â tsp (4.9Â mL) of antibacterial soap, then swish the paw in the water for 1-2 minutes.
- Press a clean bandage lightly to the wound to stop any bleeding, then cover the pad with a new, sterile bandage.
- Wrap the sterile bandage in gauze or animal-specific wound wrapping, up to the dog’s ankle, and visit your veterinarian for further treatment.
Steps
Applying First Aid
- Examine your dog’s paw if they limp, are licking it, or bleeding. If your dog suddenly is unwilling to put any weight on a particular foot, is excessively licking it, or tracking blood, odds are they have a paw pad injury.[1] Gently take the paw and look between the toes, on top of the foot, and between the pads.[2]
- Check for bleeding, cuts or abrasions, debris stuck in the pad, or an injured dew claw. Your dog may also have a ripped nail, which can cause a lot of bleeding.
- Approach your dog cautiously, since they may be prone to snapping if they’re in pain. Be gentle and talk in a soothing voice.
- See a vet if the wound is larger than 0.5Â in (1.3Â cm). First aid at home is usually sufficient for a small, shallow, and uninfected wound. However, if the cut is deep, swollen, discolored, bleeds excessively, or oozes fluids other than blood, consult a vet.[3]
- While many vets do not stitch small cuts, they may give your dog antibiotics to help fight a possible infection.
- Act quickly when you notice a potential problem. Paw injuries are susceptible to being contaminated by bacteria.
Advertisement - Rinse the wound in a bowl of warm, soapy water. Fill a bowl or bucket with lukewarm water and add 1  tsp (4.9 mL) of antibacterial soap. Gently take your dog’s paw and swish it around in the water for 1-2 minutes to clean the wound and rinse out any debris.[4]
- If your dog is hesitant or resists, simply run the paw under lukewarm water instead, targeting the wound as best you can.
- Also, remove any easily dislodged debris with tweezers. If the debris is deeply embedded, see a vet.
- Avoid the use of any antiseptics or antibiotics without vet approval.[5]
- Press a clean bandage to the wound to stop the bleeding. If your dog's paw continues to bleed after you have removed any debris and washed the wound, use a clean bandage or cloth to apply light pressure to the area until the bleeding stops.[6] If you cannot control the bleeding after 5 minutes of continuous pressure, seek veterinary care.
- Have the dog lay down and elevate the injured paw to help slow the bleeding.
- Place an absorbent pad on the wound. Position a sterile, non-stick dressing pad large enough to cover the entire wound over the injury.[7] Or, use wound padding found in most first aid kits.
- Wrap the injured paw with a self-adhering bandage. With light pressure, wrap the paw with a self-adhering bandage, ideally one made for animals (such as Vertrap, Pet-Flex, or Pet Wrap). Leave the front toes out, and wrap the paw up to the wrist joint.[8] The claws of the paw should be nearly touching.[9]
- Check that the wrapping is snug enough that it stays on their foot but loose enough that you can place two fingers under the bandaging.
- If the claws are separated or if the foot feels cold, you have tied the bandage too tight. Remove it and rewrap the paw.
- Tying the bandage too tight can cut off the blood supply to the paw and may even cause limb death. Call your vet if you are worried about tying the bandage too tightly.
- This will not only protect the injury from being infected, it will also offer additional cushioning for the foot pad.
Ongoing Care & Recovery
- Change and rewrap the bandage daily. Until your dog's paw is healed, replace the wound dressing each day, or more often if there is additional bleeding or seepage. Since dogs sweat from their paws, keep a close eye on the bandage to ensure it stays dry and clean.[10]
- When you change the bandage, look for signs of infection like heat, swelling, foul odor discharge, or redness.[11] Take your dog to the vet immediately if you notice any of these.
- Stop your dog from licking or chewing the bandages with an E-collar. Dogs may try to lick or remove the gauze and bandage, and this will lengthen the time it takes for the wound to heal or even lead to infection. Fit your dog with a cone to prevent this until the wound has healed.[12]
- E-collars come in a variety of designs. The most effective is often the traditional cone shape.
- Cover the pad with a sock or dog boot when going outside. Even though your dog is injured, they will still need to go out for a walk or potty break occasionally. To further protect your dog's paw and to keep the recovery on track, temporarily place a sock over the bandage.[13] Or, use a dog boot to cover the wound and bandages when going outside.
- Remove this covering when inside to let the wound breathe.
- Reassess the situation after a few days. If, after three days of treatment, the wound continues to bleed or opens up, take your dog to a veterinarian for further treatment.[14]
Expert Q&A
Tips
- If you’re ever in doubt about your dog’s health or the state of their wound, consult a veterinarian for professional help.[28]Thanks
- Paw pads take a long time to heal, as your dog uses their paws frequently, and this time varies by the severity of the cut.[29] See a veterinarian if your dog’s condition doesn’t improve after a few days.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/why-is-my-dog-limping/
- ↑ https://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/caring-for-your-dog/keeping-dogs-paws-healthy.html
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/why-is-my-dog-limping/
- ↑ https://www.berkeleydogandcat.com/site/blog/2021/11/15/dog-cut-paw
- ↑ https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/medications/first-aid-for-cuts-and-grazes
- ↑ https://www.berkeleydogandcat.com/site/blog/2021/11/15/dog-cut-paw
- ↑ https://wms.org/magazine/magazine/1072/Animal-Practice-Canine-Paw-Injuries/default.aspx
- ↑ https://wms.org/magazine/magazine/1072/Animal-Practice-Canine-Paw-Injuries/default.aspx
- ↑ https://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/vetscience/documents/clinical-skills/Applying%20a%20foot%20bandage.pdf
- ↑ https://wms.org/magazine/magazine/1072/Animal-Practice-Canine-Paw-Injuries/default.aspx
- ↑ https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/medications/first-aid-for-cuts-and-grazes
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/should-dogs-lick-wounds/
- ↑ https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/medications/first-aid-for-cuts-and-grazes
- ↑ https://wms.org/magazine/magazine/1072/Animal-Practice-Canine-Paw-Injuries/default.aspx
- ↑ https://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/caring-for-your-dog/keeping-dogs-paws-healthy.html
- ↑ https://www.kingsdale.com/dog-paw-pad-injuries-cuts-burns-flaps-and-foreign-objects
- ↑ https://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/caring-for-your-dog/keeping-dogs-paws-healthy.html
- ↑ https://www.kingsdale.com/dog-paw-pad-injuries-cuts-burns-flaps-and-foreign-objects
- ↑ https://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/caring-for-your-dog/keeping-dogs-paws-healthy.html
- ↑ https://wms.org/magazine/magazine/1072/Animal-Practice-Canine-Paw-Injuries/default.aspx
- ↑ https://wms.org/magazine/magazine/1072/Animal-Practice-Canine-Paw-Injuries/default.aspx
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/dog-paws-hot-pavement/
- ↑ https://www.kingsdale.com/dog-paw-pad-injuries-cuts-burns-flaps-and-foreign-objects
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/how-to-trim-dogs-nails-safely/
- ↑ https://www.kingsdale.com/dog-paw-pad-injuries-cuts-burns-flaps-and-foreign-objects
- ↑ https://www.halifaxhumanesociety.org/Taking-Care-of-Your-Dog-s-Paws-1-8639.html
- ↑ https://www.kingsdale.com/dog-paw-pad-injuries-cuts-burns-flaps-and-foreign-objects
- ↑ https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/why-is-my-dog-limping/
- ↑ https://www.kingsdale.com/dog-paw-pad-injuries-cuts-burns-flaps-and-foreign-objects
About This Article
To care for a dog’s torn paw pad, make sure to take it to the vet if the wound is larger than 1/2 inch in diameter. For smaller injuries, immediately rinse your dog’s paw with lukewarm water to flush out any debris and clean the wound. Next, apply a diluted disinfectant, like Betadine, to the cut with a cotton ball and cover the area with antibacterial ointment. Then, place an absorbent pad on the cut, secure it to your dog's paw with a self-adhering bandage, and change the bandage once a day until the wound has healed. For tips from our Veterinary co-author on how to protect your dog’s paws from cuts and scrapes while it’s outdoors, read on!
Reader Success Stories
- "I firmly believed my little PomChi hurt his paw from jumping off the bed; however, after inspecting it, I could see his paw had bled. I'm cleaning it now and applying organic coconut oil and Vit E on it as I type this."..." more
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.