Wound on the pads of a dog
Wound on the Pads of the Dogs
The dog’s pads fulfill the same function as the sole of the shoes that humans wear. It is the area of the leg that comes into contact with the ground and thanks to it, the dog is able to avoid numerous bone problems: jumps are cushioned and the dog’s step gains lightness, allowing the animal’s bones and joints to suffer a lot less.
For various reasons, this part of the dog’s paw can suffer and present certain injuries. In situations of this type, there is no need to be alarmed, injuries in these areas of the dog are common. However, it is convenient to treat the area precisely so that our faithful companion recovers as soon as possible.
Why do Wounds appear on the Pads?
The dog’s pads are prepared to endure in good condition regardless of the surface on which they rest. However, various circumstances of both the ground and our dog can lead to the appearance of certain wounds on these soles of the legs.
Erosion Wounds
Erosion, that is, the excessive wear suffered by the soles of the paws, is one of the main causes of injuries to the canine pads. But what are the main reasons for this deterioration? There are several reasons that cause this situation.
The most obvious is the hardness of the surface. When the soil is more rigid, the canine pads suffer much more and erosion increases markedly. Within this category, asphalt and ice are the two surfaces that «make the soles of dog paws suffer» the most.
Pet physical exercise
Overdoing the exercise also causes excessive soil erosion and the dog also suffers pad injuries for this reason.
Another reason for erosion injuries, although it seems a contradiction, is the lack of exercise. Dogs’ pads go soft when they don’t get their daily dose of activity. Therefore, the fact of not strengthening this area enough causes that, at the slightest effort, wounds arise in the pads.
Injuries caused by erosion on hard surfaces are not serious. The wounds that usually arise do not reach much depth and have a much easier healing if they are treated with time.
Burn Injuries
The climate plays a fundamental role in this type of injury. When it is excessively hot, our dog has many possibilities of burning his pads with the asphalt. In addition, if the ground is frozen or icy, burns on the soles of the legs will have many chances of arising in the animal.
For all these reasons, both in summer and winter you must calculate very well when to walk your faithful companion. In the hottest months, avoid walking in the middle of the day, since the asphalt fumes! In the winter period, try to make your dog run as little as possible through the snow – especially if he is not used to it. You must protect your dog from the cold in the winter season.
How to cure my dog's pads
The treatment of our dog’s wounds will vary depending on their severity and depth. There are wounds that can be healed from our own home, however, there are other more serious injuries that require the appearance of a veterinarian who is in charge of studying the area.
From Pet and Health, we always recommend that you go to your trusted veterinarian to clear up doubts about the seriousness of the wounds. It’s always best to get a professional opinion, even if the injury doesn’t seem very serious.
It must be said that wounds in this area usually require conservative treatment. However, they are complicated areas to cure, since they are in a very sensitive area of the dog. What we must always do is pay them the necessary attention, so that our dog does not develop more serious problems.
When the wounds are deep and the pads are bleeding, before going to our veterinarian, we must stop it. What will we need in these cases? Just hydrogen peroxide and sterile gauzes.
