My dog's paw is sore from concrete. What should I do to treat it?

Ouch. Poor Skye. Paw pad burns can certainly happen on concrete in the summer. If she is very painful or a large area of the pad is missing she needs to see a veterinarian. If it's moderate you can clean with gentle warm water, apply antibiotic ointment and bandage her feet. Do not give any otc pain medication. If she is painful take her to a vet for prescription medication. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/first-aid-for-torn-or-injured-foot-pads-in-dogs

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Buddy. There are rubber soled hiking boots made for dogs. These are great option for running on concrete or rough trails to protect his pads. He will initially walk funny in them, but most dogs adjust without problems. In the meantime, he should wear an E-collar to prevent him from licking and causing further trauma. I would give him a few days off of running as well to allow him to heal. I hope this information helps!

Poor Sky! Sure to always touch the concrete to make sure it is not too hot as pets can get serious injury. Avoid walking Sky during the hot time of the day. Walk in the very early mornings or in the evenings after the temperature has dropped. Booties can help as well to protect her feet from hot temperatures. Also make sure she does not lick at the feet (have her wear an elizabethan collar at all times) and keep her on soft surfaces with no walks, running or jumping until the tissue is fully healed. You can apply a dab of coconut oil and rub it in well. Make sure she does not lick this as it can cause GI upset. You can also purchase the balm that mushers use on sled dogs. If the area does not start looking better or if it begins to look worse at any point, have her examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Ouch! That does look like a bit of a sore spot. If you have an appointment already scheduled, I would just place an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Bentley to prevent him from continuing to lick the food as licking it can make the spot worse and introduce bacteria/cause an infection in an already inflamed wound. Keeping the sore spot clean and dry with the use of a washcloth is also a good idea until your appointment. If you do see any rapid changes in size, it starts oozing debris badly, or it is painful enough that Bentley can't walk on it, then trying to get in for an appointment sooner is best.

Try soaking it in some warm water with Epsom salt if he will allow it-- this is easiest to do by putting the water and epsom salt in a plastic bag and putting his paw into the plastic bag. If you can do this for about 10 minutes or so, that may help if he has any debris , sticker, grass seed, etc that is embedded in the skin. If he is licking at it, be sure to put an Ecollar (cone of shame) on him. Dry it with a towel then allow to air dry, then you can use this product on it: If it is not improving within a couple of days, take him in to your vet. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

What a brave girl! Pads sometimes do get abrasions or blisters from running on rocky, hot, or uneven surfaces. It looks like they are doing ok right now, but you do need to keep an eye on them. Put an Collar (cone of shame) on her so that she cannot lick them, and If she becomes more bothered by them, if she's favoring them heavily ("walking on eggshells), or if she starts to seem lethargic or isn't eating, get her in. All of those could be signs of infection. In the meantime, clean them daily with dilute betadine (available at any pharmacy) -- use a small bowl (1-2 cups or so) of water, and add enough betadine so that it looks like tea. If she will tolerate keeping her foot in that for a minute or so, great. If not, just use a gauze pad or cotton ball to clean the wound off with the butadiene solution. Leave them UNBANDAGED at this time, so that you can monitor them closely, and so that moisture doesn't get trapped which could increase the likelihood of infection developing. While I do think they should not be bandaged, DO use booties if you are going to be going for a long walk, etc--ideally, though, avoid exercise on rough, rocky, uneven surfaces until its healed. Take the booties off when she comes inside. (something like this I hope thats helpful for you! Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Poor Oscar! Running around on the blacktop can cause a lot of trauma to the skin as you have unfortunately found out. You must protect the paw from licking as this will make it worse. He should wear an Elizabethan collar at all times. He should also only be allowed to walk on soft surfaces and can not have any running until the paw is healed. The concern with injuries on the foot is that they can become infected since they are constantly making contact with the ground. I recommend to have him examined by his veterinarian who may bandage there paw and give you a topical treatment or even antibiotics. I hope he starts feeling better quickly and please feel free to post any additional questions.