I just clean cut paws and stick a sock on it when we go out. If it's wet I put a plastic bag over the sock. Only been to the vet with one and then they charged us £30 just to clean and bandage it!

Thanks sb - might have to pop to the parents to grab the ecollar - the muzzle I ordered was too small but was stupidly too lazy to send it back!

Thanks Sarah - I did suspect the vets wouldn't do much, I think it's too small to stitch and I wouldn't have thought a stitch would stay in well anyway

That's a pretty bad one if it's deep, it's gonna take a while.

Although my vet told me to use Sudocreme initially because it is antisceptic and puts a good barrier for grit and dirt and you don't want it drying out too quickly, an even better one is that Bag Balm which is apparently used for all the search and rescue dogs who end up with cut pads and noses. We used to call it green oils when we used it on horses, but I couldn't get it from my dog vet.

You need a saddlers or horse feed store for your vetwrap it'll be a lot cheaper too, only a couple of quid for a big roll. They will also do a cheaper version of the purple spray, but that will come in more handy than you will ever think, but always wear rubber gloves when applying, otherwise you'll end up mauve for days!

Don't be surprised when you get back from every walk and see some blood there, then you'll get watery blood, and when you don't see anymore it's time to start slapping on the spray, probably and hopefully around day 4/5?

When any pads were initially cut open, I would always dunk the whole foot in a plastic measuring jug of saline solution and then thoroughly dry it with a wad of kitchen roll! My vet nurses say it's the best for completely drying it off before slapping on the cream, so fold a square of it over and over until you have a nice thick strip, wrap it around and hold it tightly but gently, and it will suck out all the moisture. This is how my vet nurses do it coz they showed me when I went in with a bad one! I've had quite a few of those, but so far, never an infection, so hopefully you will be the same if you take good care of it.

Too late to stitch it now in any case without them excising more skin, keeping cuts dry and clean is the most important treatment you can give whether it is in humans, dogs or horses.


Mine often cut their pads galloping about on frozen ground in the winter, I never do anything if it is as small as yours, deeper ones I superglue (but I have been taught how to do this),

It is one of the reasons I always have dog boots in my car, it means they can still get exercise.

If you have a dog boot it is wise to pad, bandage first, then slip a plastic bag over the foot BEFORE putting a boot on (the boot slides on more easily).

I have boots with kevlar so they can put up with hard ground.

I think ears, mouth and feet always look the worst!

ps Bag Balm is just the American name for Udder Cream, what everyone is putting on their faces nowadays.

Creams for SORES (as opposed to cut wounds) are better purchased from somewhere like Hilton Herbs (Phytobalm) or sprays (First Essential).

Quistel Lotion is very healing for skin.

HTH

Thanks Helena and SB It seemed to do a bit of welding itself together last night, until I cleaned it this morning when it opened up a little again.

Will keep it nice and clean and make sure she wears a shoe type thing outside to keep it dry, and will dress it if it looks like I need to later - will pop out and get everthing this afternoon!

Lucky I'm not at all squeamish
Thanks again everyone, will keep you updated

Just as a little update Kestrals pad is starting to heal nicely. It has all dried out, and although it hasn't really knitted together, there is new skin/tissue(?!) covering it.

Hopefully in another couple of days she will be able to have a short walk - I think I am missing them more than she is, but she has got bounds of energy which needs exerting!

Anyway thanks again for all your help and advice. Thank goodness we got away with it without a vet visit!

Poor Kestral. Injured paw pads are nightmare. Cain once chewed his back pad pad off, it took ages to heal and constant supervision to stop him chewing. I was so glad when it healed.....then the little b*gger only went and did it again a few months later right before we went on holiday....oh I could have killed him! Glad to hear Kestal's paw is healing.

Ouch to Cain there! Dave was telling me how his lab scraped her paw pads totally - bandaged up for 6 weeks - first walk again, and she re-does it Dogs eh!!

Yes it has been a total nightmare watching over her. I had a bandage on to begin with but I turn my head for one moment to work and she's busy picking it off! We soon gave up with the bandage.

She has the knack down of leaning on her foot pretending to be sweet and angelic, I look away and she has a good lick But its great its healing up, I'm very pleased.

So pleased to hear it's all healing nicely now. Just be careful where she has her zoomies when you're out, no rough ground or bare earth with flints (that's how we do ours here!). Whenever I chuck her ball now, I always throw it in deeper grass, never on muddy or short grass, coz there's always something sticking up when she brakes!

Good luck with her now, I bet she can't wait to get out and disperse some of that energy hey!