we were playing fetch outside having a good old time, and then he went immediately to the door. i noticed a little blood on the floor after we got inside, and the big footpad on his front left paw had about a quarter-sized hole in the top layer of skin. i cleaned it out, and i'm trying to keep him from licking it (which is hell)..i just don't want it to get infected. what should i do? how quickly will it heal? poor doggy...
Hey man, it's probably no big deal, but you should probably take your dog to the vet, because "hard pads" or lesions can indicate autoimmune problems and other diseases.
Not really anything you can do. You can try to put neosporin on it and wrap it but good luck getting it to stay on. It will heal in no more than a week.
You will likely have to make use of an Elizabethan Collar to stop the dog from being able to lick it. It is maybe the guiltiest thing you could do to your dog partly because you are going to laugh your *** off at it while still feeling sad. The dog knows you are mocking it too but it works. Clean it out gently and ask your vet or check at a reputable online source for something to put on it. Wrap it in gauze or light fabric that won't likely stick to the wound. Maybe wrap a sock around it, using light gauze tape if you have to attach it to fur to keep it on while outside. Think ahead on that...what will hurt the dog coming off of its fur, what won't? This happens to some dogs that swim a lot in swimming pools if they try to climb out of the side of the pool where there are not stairs. Bitter apple may work as well but the E-collar will prevent licking and give it time to regrow. The worst part of this is the blood trail. Reaffirm to the dog it is okay, give it some treats and console it. Make the process not as bad as it has to be for it.
I feel affirmed...thanks for the replies. I put some neosporin and loose gauze on it, which he wasn't too happy about, but he didn't mess with it. We have a vet appt this afternoon. He's pretty pitiful when he tries to go out in the grass to take a dump/leak. That can't feel good, even with the bandage.
My lab has had 2-3 paw injuries over the past 2 years. The vet will give you some anti-biotics to fight off any infection. Maybe a medicine you dilute with water for "soaking" to help kill bacteria. $90 later your dog should be fine.
