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My dog tore his carpal pad with a flap. Should I cut it or bandage?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog tore his carpal pad. There's no bleeding currently. There is a flap hanging that we need to know how to manage. Does it need to be cut off? Bandaged? Stitched? Thank you

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

Veterinary Technician

Published on November 9th, 2020

It's incredibly hard to tell as the photo is a little blurry. If the bleeding has stopped, you can clean the pad and trim away some of the fur to see how bad it is. If the wound is very large (more than half an inch or so) or is causing pain or difficulty walking, a trip to the vet is a good idea for pain meds, antibiotics, and a bandage (depending on the location of the pad) to help the area heal. If the wound is smaller, keeping the foot clean and dry (wrapping it when your pup goes outside to keep dirt and debris from getting in) and using an Elizabethan (e-collar) can help keep it from getting infected while it heals.

9Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Crystal L. Nelson
Veterinary Technician
Published on April 11th, 2015
This will need medical intervention. You'll want to visit your local veterinary or emergency clinic as soon as possible, especially if there is active bleeding. After examining him, your vet may recommend sedating him to treat this wound. Depending on the severity, the flap may need to be trimmed, the wound sutured and the paw bandaged. If the area is contaminated or dirty, your vet may prescribe antibiotics, as well as pain medication. Be sure to keep the area as clean and dry as possible, and prevent any licking if you can. Place an e-collar (cone) on him until he sees the vet and/or has healed.
56Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Summer Walker, DVM, MS
Veterinarian
Published on December 26th, 2017
Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Unfortunately, Segar should be seen by a veterinarian if the laceration is that severe. For these types of wounds to appropriately heal and decrease the risk of infection and additional complications, suturing/"stitches" are typically recommended. If the wound is too severe the veterinarian may have to finish amputating the portion of the pad that is severed and performing bandage changes while the remaining portion of the carpal pad heals. Oral antibiotics and pain medications may also be needed and these can be prescribed by the veterinarian. You can keep the affected pad clean and dry with a bandage until an appointment can be scheduled. The bandage should be changed at least daily to prevent soiling and the risk of infection.
7Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Emily Fukuzato, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on January 13th, 2018
Thank you for reaching out about Mia. If the cut is significant and there is a flap I have concern that it may not heal on its own. I definitely understand it can be difficult to keep an ecollar on some types of dogs. It MAY need surgical repair as pad lacerations can be difficult to heal. I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at it. If it is a significant laceration they may recommend repair, can place a bandage on it to prevent her from licking it and protect it/allow it to heal, and provide oral antibiotics if necessary.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My dog's carpal pad is torn with a flap. Can it wait until Monday?

I would wrap it with a bandage to protect it, and just keep an eye on him for now. Keep him for licking the bandage by putting an Ecollar on him. You can make one at home or get one from a pet store. Have him seen by a vet on Monday, as the flap may need to be removed. Change the bandage daily, and if it appears infected or he starts limping, take him into an ER vet. I hope this helps! http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog's carpal pads are torn and missing. What should I do?

Poor girl! That must be very painful for her. Ideally, take her to the vet so that the damage can be assessed, pain medication prescribed, antibiotics if indicated, and professional wound care performed. If you are entirely unable to get her to the vet, and she is eating, drinking, acting ok, etc, you can clean the wounds with dilute Betadine (povidone iodine) available at any pharmacy. Add a little of the betadine to water so that it looks like tea. Clean the wounds with this antiseptic cleanser. Then you could apply a wound care product such as this: apply a nonstick sterile bandage pad, and gently wrap them (NOT TOO TIGHT) with rolled cotton or rolled gauze, and an outside layer of VetWrap or Coban (again NOT TOO TIGHT). CHANGE THE BANDAGES DAILY and do NOT allow the bandages to get wet. If they do get wet, even briefly, the bandages need to be changed. You can cover them ONLY when outside to walk to go potty, with a plastic bag, but don't use rubber bands to secure the plastic bag as it may be too tight. Keep her inside (except to go potty) until the wounds are healed, and ONLY cover in plastic to go outside. If she is chewing on the bandages, put an E collar (cone of shame) on her. Again, ideally, this should be evaluated by a vet. I can't assure you that this isn't a very serious situation without being able to see the wounds in person, and early, appropriate intervention is the best way to ensure that they heal well and with the least amount of complication. Finally, do not give any over the counter pain medication that is made for humans (no ibuprofen, aleve, Tylenol, etc) as these medications have a high likelihood of causing side effects of GI ulceration, liver damage, or kidney damage. Many safer alternatives designed for dogs are available from your vet. Thank you for asking PetCoach!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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My dog tore his paw pad and won't stop licking it. Should I see a vet?

Ouch, that's a big enough tear it should be seen by your vet. At the very least they can clip back the hair, thoroughly clean it, and then provide you with pain medications and antibiotics for Ave so it doesn't get infected. Until you can get into your vet, it is best to keep the foot clean and dry and to NOT let him lick it. Licking will introduce bacteria that will cause further inflammation and potential infection. You can use an Elizabethan (cone) collar to keep him from doing so. I would also limit all activity to leashed walks only for potty breaks to prevent him from putting more weight on the injured pad which can lead to more pain.

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My dog's paw pad is gashed and bleeding. What first aid can I give?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lulu. Unfortunately, your question must have exceeded the text limit as it was cut off. I understand that she has a cut on her paw pad. She will need to see her veterinarian. It may require surgery to heal depending on the size of the wound. If not, bandaging and antibiotics could be needed. In the meantime, place an E-collar on her to prevent her from licking the wound. Keep the area clean and dry as well. I hope this information helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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My dog has a paw pad cut, no blood, limping. What should I do now?

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!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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My puppy tore his paw pad. What else should I do after Neosporin?

You can clean off thee wounds with a mild antiseptic and then bandage the paw. Make sure the bandage is not too tight and you have cotton wool inbetween the toes and pads so that they cotton wool can absorb moisture and sweat. You can put honey on the pad wounds which will help with healing. Change the bandage every other day. If you see infection or the pads do not heal you need to take your dog to a veterinarian. It will take a few weeks for new skin to form.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog cut his paw 5 days ago. Does he need a vet or will it heal?

Paw pad injuries should heal pretty quickly if they are going to heal at home. You can use sharp scissors and remove that flap of skin (but don't cut super close to the edge of the paw). Most of the time, this flap of skin will be like a cuticle on your finger so it doesn't cause pain to remove it. If it seems painful, don't cut it. After 5 days, the tissue underneath the flap should be looking more like the exterior paw pad. It should be darkening in color and not looking raw. If this is occurring, that's a good sign and Hercules seems to be healing it on his own. You can stop bandaging it. Continue to antibiotics for a full 10 days or until the wound is fully healed. You must prevent all licking and he should wear an elizabethan collar at all times. You must also prevent all trauma so no walks, running or jumping until the paw is fully healed. The paw shoudl be completely healed within 10-14 days from the time of the cut. If the paw still looks raw, has any discharge, pain or swelling at this time, Hercules needs to be examined by the veterinarian as this is abnormal and not expected. If at any point the cut shows any of these symptoms, he should be examined. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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