My puppy has a paw injury. How do I treat it and prevent infection?

Ouch! I would keep the paw as clean and dry as possible, and keep Nike from licking at it by placing an Elizabethan (cone) collar on him. Limiting activity so he doesn't keep walking on it and introducing any more debris into the foot is also a good idea. Since it is such a big wound, seeing if you can get into the vet sooner is also a good idea so he can get started on pain meds or antibiotics as needed.

Hello, sorry to hear about Panda. An injury such as a sprain may simply require some rest and ice. If he has a cut then cleaning with soap and water will work. And finally, placing an e-collar on him so that he does not lick at his toes would be best case scenario as this is likely the source of infection. If he is licking at the area, he should wear a cone for approximately 3-5 days. No running, jumping, or rough housing should be allowed during his rest period of 10 days. Once he has recovered, then he may resume his normal activity. If his toe continues to be red, then you he should be seen by a veterinarian. If Panda develops any limping, then he should also be seen by his veterinarian then. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Ouch, poor Naria. If the nail is completely removed and exposing the nail bed, keep the toe as clean as possible to try to prevent infection. For my patients that have done this, I typically will place them on oral antibiotics and analgesics (pain medication) to prevent infection and keep them comfortable while the nail regrows. Some nails will not regrow normally if the nailbed was also injured. If Naria is limping on the affected paw, or the toe becomes swollen I would recommend having her seen by her veterinarian for appropriate medications to be dispensed.

You can use both. A thin layer of iodine ointment will serve to help prevent infection. The Woun’ dres can be applied over it. If Caesar is likely to lick it, I recommend an e-collar. He may chew and eat a bandage if he isn’t wearing an e-collar. Bandages are also tricky because they can trap moisture and can tighten, cutting off circulation to the paw. I would continue applying both three times a day until the nail bed appears completely dry and scabbed over. You can place a toddler sock or a bootie over the paw when you take Caesar outside to pee and poop but I would avoid long walks for the next week. Good luck!

That definitely sounds pretty painful for Brutis. If you are saying that his entire nail came off, this should probably be assessed. It will be important to make sure that there are no shards left so that it can grow back in properly. Additionally, the veterinarian will be able to provide you with some pain medication and anti inflammatory medication to provide him. Depending on his lifestyle, an antibiotic to prevent secondary infection could also be indicated. If the area is pretty clean right now and it is unlikely to become very dirty, you can try covering it or wrapping the area to prevent it from becoming soiled. At the vet it might also be useful to take an x-ray of the foot to make sure no bones were broken during the event. Hope this helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tucker. I typically put dogs with broken or lost toe nails on oral antibiotics. The paw is inherently dirty. Licking it will increase the risk of an infection in the nail bed. If the nail bed becomes infected it is very painful for the dog and can be difficult to treat. For this reason, I do recommend that he still sees his veterinarian. At minimum, you need to place an E-collar on him to prevent any further licking. I hope this information helps!

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!