My dog has split paw pads. What's the best way to help them?

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 guy. If the areas are relatively superficial, then you can clean them with Betadine/Iodine diluted 50:50 with warm water OR Chlorhexidine solution (2-4% diluted until a robin's egg blue consistency). This will remove any bacteria on the surface. However, since this part of the pet is always touching the ground and getting debris in them, you should consider placing booties (purchased at the local Petco or on Amazon) on Lincoln for 4-7 days until the skin starts to heal back. You may not need to keep these on Lincoln while he is inside the house, but definitely when he goes outside to potty. Alternatively, you can try placing socks or some kind of stocking material on his paws and then wiping them down with the solution when he comes back in. I would not recommend placing anything else over the counter on these areas. The paw pads are normally very forgiving when they just have abrasions on them and not an actual laceration (cut) of the pad, and heal up well in many cases. If the paws are wore down to the point of bleeding or show any signs of infection, then it is best to take him to your veterinarian for additional medication and treatment. I hope that this helps. Best of luck with Lincoln and I hope that his paws heal up well soon! Take care.

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.

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!

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

Hello. I am sorry that Rey has a cut. Foot pads are notoriously difficult to heal due to the constant motion and pressure. They often get infected so getting antibiotics on board might be a good idea. Also, keeping it bandaged when she is walking, and open to the air when she is resting is a good idea. You have to be VERY careful with bandages in dogs, as a bandage that is too tight can cause swelling and you can actually kill the leg and it can require amputation. Make sure any bandage is placed and attached just using attachment to the hair, and not by pressure around the leg. If you are unsure you should have this done by a vet clinic. An E-collar or cone to prevent licking/chewing of the wound as well as the bandage is a good idea as well, because she likely will lick/chew it when you aren't around, even if she isn't when you are present. Also, pain management and anti-inflammatories from your vet might be a good idea. Do not use any human products as they can cause kidney failure. I would recommend a visit to your vet for these aspects. Good luck with Rey.

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!