Paw Pad Healing

[Guest AimeeBee]

George came up limping on his front right leg yesterday evening. It appears the culprit is a scrape on part of the big paw pad next to the toes (see photo). It's kind of an awkward spot and it must hurt pretty bad. He's been hobbling intermittently and holding the paw up/biting/licking at it, which is unlike him -- usually he doesn't fuss over bumps and scrapes too much. When I noticed it yesterday it wasn't actively bleeding, just raw looking + the limp, so I sprayed it with first-aid spray put some EMT gel on it and called it good. He kept trying to stealth-lick but stopped when I would catch him at it.

 

Today the limp is still there but not nearly as bad as before so I soaked it for about 10 minutes in warm salt water and am debating how to handle from here. Would you just leave it alone and clean 2x/day or do something else like a manuka honey dressing + non-stick pad and wrap/baby sock? Vet trip? I planned to make an appointment today if the limping was as bad as last night, or if it looked worse -- neither of which is true, so I've held off.

 

I just hate seeing him unhappy, and the limping has me worried it's something worse than what I'm seeing. I don't think there is any swelling when I compare both his front legs and I can't feel any discernible difference in warmth of the front right compared to the left.

 

(the spot is on the bottom part of the large pad)

[XTRAWLD]

I'm sure it's really owie, and he's limping because of that. Ensure that nothing is lodged in there, maybe he stepped badly on a stick.

 

I'm not sure about soaking it in salt water - that might be painful - so I'd opt instead if you can to soak it in epsom salts instead....have him just stand in a tupperware container full of it for 10 mins, and do this a couple times a day if possible. As it soaks, you'll be able to see if something is stuck too, and you can help it out (a thorn or sliver for all you know). He may be licking just because he's irritated from the salt, or even the first aid spray. I usually spray CS on things like this too, and I'd leave it open to the air without wrapping but that's just me.

 

Gentle skritches.

[Guest AimeeBee]

I'm not sure about soaking it in salt water - that might be painful - so I'd opt instead if you can to soak it in epsom salts instead....have him just stand in a tupperware container full of it for 10 mins, and do this a couple times a day if possible.

 

Sorry, will edit my post -- was epsom salt water, not table salt!