How to heal a nasty gash on a paw-pad?

peckerhead

Howdy all, hope someone can help with an enquiry (not seeking medical advice as such; hope this isn't against any forum rules?)

Our 6-year-old lab cross must have stepped on a bit of broken glass somewhere and has got himself a nasty gash, nearly 1cm long, across the main toe-pad on his front paw. It's all the more painful because he only has one front paw, having lost the other leg a few years ago following a car accident... (No, his name is not "Lucky"!)

I've cleaned it up and swabbed it out with disinfectant but it looks to me like something that won't easily heal up by itself, since every time he puts paw to ground he's likely to split it open again. Remember this paw takes his full weight, and he's a normal adult-size lab.

I remember once seeing this product — can't remember the name — which is a kind of gloopy liquid that you paint on over cuts and it solidifies, sealing up the wound and helping to hold it together. Do you think this is likely to be any good, or should I just get him to the vet asap for a stitch and dressing? Can you even put a stitch into a pawpad?

TIA for any tips/advice; I'm anxious not to leave the poor guy in pain for any longer than necessary (this happened yesterday) and I certainly don't want him to be too long getting back on his (three) feet, because when he doesn't get his daily run he goes a bit mad...

reeta

Hi, this happened my two year old springer in February. Vet thought maybe a can/glass in grass is what left a nasty gash, also nearly 1 cm long, acroos front toe pad.Being a springer is constantly getting into trouble but this was the worst. Vet decided not to stitch as way to hard to heal.He dressed it and put her on antibiotics and we were only allowed exercise her for 10 mins a day !!! this dog was used to minimum 4-5 half hour walks daily.Also trying to keep the bandages dry was a nightmare. We eventually bought dog shoes in Maxi Zoo (couldnt believe I was buying shoes for my dog:) but they proved a life saver. We had to bring her back to vet every second day for paw to be rebandaged.So my advice would be to bring him to the vet. Good luck !!

peckerhead

Thanks, reeta. Sounds like we'd better fork out and bring him to the vet. Can't afford for anything to happen to that paw...

SillyMangoX

If I were you I would definitely bring him to a vets, the poor thing only has 3 legs at the moment, could you imagine if an infection set in? He wouldn't be able to take a step at all. It's worth the money knowing that it will help him not be in so much pain anymore! If a vet bandages it up, it will provide extra support so his full weight won't be directly on the cut, it'll have a chance to heal then if it doesn't keep opening!

andreac

Deffo bring to the vets as he might need antibiotics in case an infection sets in. In the meantime, just keep it clean with salty water.

reeta

If you need one I can send you a spare "shoe" (its extra large), it will keep the bandage dry when you take him out. 2 shoes in pack, only one used !!! will pop in post if you need it...

peckerhead

Gee thanks, Reeta, that's really generous of you, but I'm bringing him to the vet later today and will probably pick one up in the local Petmania on my way home - they're only €10. But I appreciate the offer!

Incheerocket

Always difficult to heal these, as like you say your dog always has paw to the ground! I too bought a dog boot and couldn't believe I was buying shoes for my dog, when this happened to my wolfhound, but like others have indicated I would get your vet to have a look at it, another solution to the boot thing, if you don't want to splash out on dog shoes, and depending how friendly you are with your vet, the bags they use for drips at the vets are very sturdy, if they have used ones they shouldn't have a problem giving them to you, and you can cut slits approx 1cm from the top of the unopened end, lace some sort of shoe lace or tape around through the slits you have cut and tie onto top of your dogs foot/leg, have also found this has worked quite well in the past! doesn't look pretty but it will give your labs paw a day or two to close up a bit more.

Ellis Dee

This happened to my dog (a cocker spaniel/border collie cross, I guess) last autumn, a gash about 6 mm long in the biggest pad on his forepaw. I took him to a vet, who give him a full anaesthetic and did an X-ray to make sure no foreign matter such as a glass splinter remained in the wound and then bandaged the paw and put a kind of boot on it. I was told to pull a condom over it when I went out and to wrap plenty of (painter's) masking tape around it to make it stay on.

The bandage was to stay for four days and after that I was to remove it and wash and dry the wound every time we came back from a walk and then to put on plenty of Vetramil (an ointment made from honey/royal jelly) that is an efficient disinfectant, but which won't harm the the dog if he licks it.:)

My pet was fully recovered within about a week.:)

Good luck with yours.

tk123

A tip for you - if you have tiles/wooden floors the dog will probably slip with a bandaged paw.. You can get kids slipper socks in Penneys/Dunnes that have non-slip stuff on the sole. I got them for my dog when his leg was bandaged up so he wouldn't go skeeting across the floor like Bambi!

peckerhead

Thanks for all the tips. I'm glad to say the vet gave him a fairly good chance of not picking up an infection and is holding off on an antibiotic until he sees him again on Friday, when we'll change the dressing. I guess the hard part will be keeping him off it; he's already getting a bit stir crazy and we're not even day 2... :pac:

Incheerocket wrote: »

the bags they use for drips at the vets are very sturdy, if they have used ones they shouldn't have a problem giving them to you, and you can cut slits approx 1cm from the top of the unopened end, lace some sort of shoe lace or tape around through the slits you have cut and tie onto top of your dogs foot/leg, have also found this has worked quite well in the past! doesn't look pretty but it will give your labs paw a day or two to close up a bit more.

This is exactly what they did for us. Works great and is probably more waterproof than the €10 shoe!

Here's a picture of the handsome brute in happier times.

tk123

Ah he's lovely!! . Just watch the drip bag thing doesn't sweat the bandage/wound - so only have it on when he's outside. With my guy it'd get condensation on it .

IvySlayer

Similar thing happened to my Sam, required a visit to the vet and he had to get a staple. Bandage had to stay on for about a week.

Dogs paws are not great at healing themselves.

ladyjuicy08

Salt water like down the beach or ur own solution happens to my sisters dogs a few times