Pad Laceration, One Week On

[Guest jshell]

Betty Joan cut a side pad on one of her front paws REAL bad last week (glass... beer bottle mashed up into grass about a block away). I had a mobile vet come down the next day and he cleaned the wound, bandaged it, gave her an antibiotic shot and gave us some meds (about 3-4 days of Rimadyl, and 7 days of Clavamox). Even though it was a good size cut (or seemed like it to me), he said he didn't want to suture it due to the size and its just in a bad place (would split / pop out easily).

 

I took the bandage off sunday night (about 3 days after the vet left) and the wound was still really bad. Still bleeding a bit, in fact. Which was my fault. Betty seemed to be walking on it fine and we went for a long walk that afternoon and even some running. Which had me thinking it would be in much better shape than it was in.

 

I kept it pretty heavily bandaged for the next couple of days (although I'd often come home from work to her having taken the bandaging off) and since then, I've been wondering whether it's better to keep it open or bandaged. When we go outside, I always have it covered. I left it open all day today and when I got home from work it seemed that it's sealing up and the pad itself is starting to grow back. But it's still a pretty sizable gash.

 

The last couple of nights I've been soaking her foot in warm water and peroxide. I heard Betine (?) is better. Or would salt water?

 

We had our last Clavamox pill this morning. This evening, Betty's been anxious at times. She was especially so when I came home. We went outside and she crapped... a lot. A couple of hours later, it was the same. Heavy panting, warm nose, etc. But not really wanting to walk on the bad foot.. It was hard to read what was going on. But as we started venturing out a tiny bit, she got a bit more active and back into the grass and crapped. a lot. she's been pretty mellow since then. I think all of that crapping is a side effect of the clavamox combined with limited going-outsides this week... There was nothing really runny. ... so i think she's ok... maybe a bit stressed from the pain and cabin fever..?

 

Anyways... My biggest fear is infection. What would signs of infection look like versus normal healing? What's the best way to keep it clean while letting it heal?

 

Thanks,

Jeff + Betty Joan

 

 

[kudzu]

Personally, I wouldn't use peroxide after the initial cleaning. Have heard from a couple vets that continued use actually irritates the wound & can slow healing. Venus sliced her webbing quite badly last year. It was the sort of thing that stitches would not have held well. I soaked it in epsom salts several times a day. If I was rushed I would just clean with diluted 10% povidone iodine solution like Betadyne. Take Betadyne & then dilute it 9 parts water to 1 part Betadyne. This diluted mixture does not need to be rinsed off. (This suggestion came from the horse vets.) Would then dry it, apply EMT gel Linky, then cover with a baby sock. Wrapped a strip of tape around the ankle of the sock to keep it from slipping off. When we went out I would cover that with plastic wrap to keep it from getting wet. The first few days she was bandaged but after that it was just the baby sock. She was on leash walking restrictions for 3 weeks & we limited her area in the house so there would be no running or climbing stairs. Of course this was webbing so a cut in a different spot may not have required as much time.

 

Hope your pup's foot heals quickly.

[Batmom]

Infection = gooey and smelly; redness; swelling. Normal drainage = blood and/or clear fluid.

 

I tend to keep feet bandaged because dog is on them all the time and they are such miserably dirty places. Also keeps dog from licking.

 

I'd keep her off it as much as reasonable; back to the vet if you don't see more improvement in 3-4 more days.

 

Good luck!

Edited April 18, 2008 by Batmom

[greysmom]

And try to keep her quiet. I know it's hard with greys, but the wound needs a chance to heal and it can't if it keeps getting opened up. No long walks or running. She'll want to be on it way before she should. Cut back on her food if she's usually an active girl. Keeping it clean and dry is a priority - The sock trick usually works for us, plus a plastic produce bad if it's wet outside (keep it on with bandage tape or vet wrap, but remove it inside).

 

Feet are so tricky! Good luck!!

 

greysmom