My dog burned her paw pads. How can I care for them until the vet?

I would recommend going to Petco or Petsmart and get a bootie for Bradley. This will help him so he doesn't lick at it and keeps it clean. If you can call tomorrow and see if they can fit you in that would be better then Sunday. The biggest thing is keeping the pad clean and making sure that Bradley doesn't lick at his foot. With the photos the cut doesn't look too deep but your veterinarian may prescribe antibiotics and anti-inflammatories (for pain) to Bradley to make him more comfortable. Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly 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!

Hello, and thanks for your question. It's difficult to tell in the picture where the injury is. I'm possibly seeing a small area with minor irritation on the edge of the metacarpal pad (the larger pad behind the toe pads), almost like a rug-burn type injury... If that's the case, it will be a bit sore until the tissue starts to heal, but there isn't much to do other than monitor for infection and protect it from further injury. You can apply a topical ointment such as neosporin, and sometimes they're more comfortable if you apply a sock or bootie when Blitz goes outside. Avoid long walks and running off leash for a week or so, especially on abrasive surfaces such as concrete or gravel. Monitor for redness, swelling, or discharge that might indicate infection. If you see any of these, or if Blitz seems uncomfortable enough to need pain medication, then it's best to bring her in to the vet. Of course, if there's further injury besides the suspected "rugburn" or scrape I described above, don't hesitate to question again with a description of the injury you're seeing, and maybe a close-up with an arrow to the injury in question... Hope this helps!

It looks like poor Leo has blistered paw pads. This can be quite uncomfortable. Seeing where your location is, it is likely that Leo just came in contact with hot pavement. These will heal on their own. I would not try to peel the pads off. New pad will form and you may even notice pink pad that is raw looking once the old pad falls off. I would have your vet check the pads out to be on the safe side in case there is something more thst needs to be done. To prevent this, avoid long walks on hot pavement and use dog boots. Hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me with any further questions or concerns you may have

Charlie is adorable! Thank you for posting a picture of her. If the cut is not open or bleeding and is padded with a bandage, Charlie may not be painful. Many over the counter human pain medications are not safe for dogs and some interact with pain medications that your vet may give you, so I would not recommend giving her any over the counter medication until you talk to your vet. As far as the wound, it sounds like you have done everything right. The most important thing is keeping the cut protected which you have already done. Make sure that the bandage stays clean and dry. If any moisture gets under the bag and the bandage gets wet, then it needs to come off right away because it will actually make the cut more likely to get infected. If the cut is starting to heal, I will often change to a dog bootie or shoe to prevent problems with bandages getting wet. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!

I'm so sorry to hear that Reaves and Marilyn are having such a hard time after their hike. Paw pads can take a while to heal and can be very painful. I would recommend having your veterinarian examine them to determine if they need any treatment other than what you are currently doing, to determine which pain medication will help them feel better, and also to determine the best way to protect their feet. Sometimes I will recommend commercial booties while paw pads heal, but sometimes I will teach owners to bandage feet at home if they are severely affected. Good luck! I hope they feel better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.