My dog's paw pad is torn. Is yellow crusting normal as it heals?

Yes, that sounds like normal healing. If they recommended cleaning the area then I would do that to keep it draining. Use the medication as directed and with the cone to prevent licking I expect this to heal in a week to ten days. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Rupert.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths twice daily at least for the next 4 days. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking/scratching. If not healing by then a check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

I would check on the bandaging every 12-24 hours to make sure it is healing and isn't showing any signs of infection. If you start to see signs of infection such as oozing debris, hot to the touch, swelling, extreme pain, or it isn't healing, it is best to bring Harley to your vet so that the area can be cleaned, examined and antibiotics/pain meds given as needed. You will also want to place an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Harley to prevent her from licking and chewing off the bandage as she heals.