Make a bowl of salt water and place your dog's paws in the water to soak for at least 10 minutes. You can also use terry cloths or sponges to make compresses to use on injured skin. Repeat this process two to three times a day for optimal effects.
Additionally, salt on dog's paws can cause excessive dryness, cracking, or even burns of paw pads, especially with prolonged or repeated exposure. With any paw discomfort, a pup might lick or chew excessively, which can make the issue worse and lead to an infection.
While your dog's paw is wet, use a mild dog shampoo or cleaner to wash the entire paw, especially the cut area. After you have washed your pup's paw, rinse it with a saline solution. If your little guy's paw is bleeding, you will need to stop the blood by applying pressure to the cut.
To answer the question of today, no, seawater is not good for your dog's wound. You should avoid using it unless a wound is very dirty and there are no other forms of cleaning available.
Try a warm Epsom salt soak. Add a ¼ cup of Epsom salts to a litre of warm water, and immerse the paws one by one. Do this for up to 10 minutes per foot, up to 3 times a day. Remember to dry the feet thoroughly and in between the toes to prevent infection.
Natural antiseptics include turmeric, coconut oil, aloe vera and witch hazel. For a spicy antiseptic concoction that will also help with inflammation—and prevent licking, because most dogs don't love the smell—mix turmeric from your spice cabinet with aloe vera in a 1:1 ratio and smooth it on the scrape.
Just like for us humans, saltwater can have a lot of beneficial properties for dogs. However, saltwater is naturally much more drying than freshwater so your dog's skin may become dry and flaky, and the coat dull, particularly if they are more susceptible to skin irritations.
To apply betadine on your dog, gently wipe the wound with a washcloth saturated with the betadine solution. You can do this up to twice a day for minor sores or skin infections. One great thing about Betadine is that it is completely harmless if it's ingested.
Himalayan salt soak (sole) can help soothe your dogs and cats sore, inflamed, irritated or infected paws and skin. Himalayan salt soaks are also calming.
I recommend povidone iodine or Betadine® solution because it's naturally antifungal, antiviral, safe, non-stinging, non-toxic, and non-abrasive. It's a very effective disinfectant for your pet's paws. You can either have your dog simply walk through the tub a few times, or stand him in it for about 30 seconds.
Dilute concentrated Betadine with water to a light ice tea color (or Nolvasan with water to light blue color) and make a foot soak in a kitchen snick, bowel, Tupperware tub, or kiddy swimming pool. Place your dog in the foot bath for 1-5 minutes (remembering to irrigate in-between their toes).
Use a mild soap and water solution and rinse the area well. Do not use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, as these can actually delay healing. Once the wound is clean, you will want to apply an antibiotic ointment or cream. This will help to prevent infection and will also help the wound heal faster.
For topical use, create an apple cider vinegar rinse for after your dog's bath, as a remedy for irritated skin or a dry coat (1 cup ACV per 2-4 cups water). It's common for dogs to get yeast infections in their paws; soaking your dog's paws in ACV will relieve that too.
You can use an antimicrobial skin cleanser like Hibiscrub chlorhexidine gluconate to clean your dog's skin or to treat light wounds.
If available, apply a small amount of antiseptic wound cream such as Savlon or Germolene to prevent infection. Do this just prior to a walk or feeding to distract your pet from licking it off.
Iodine (betadine) is a valuable aid in the treatment of hot spots, skin irritations, small cuts and grazes, and itchy paws.
If your dog suffers from itching due to dermatitis, psoriasis or dandruff, salt water helps to relieve it, preventing it from scratching itself and causing new wounds.
In the aftermath of swimming in the ocean, you may discover that your dog is quite itchy. The culprit is usually a simple one - too much sand and salt in your dog's fur. It's important to make sure you give your dog a good bath, preferably with a mild, anti-itch shampoo, which will help calm irritated skin.
Generally, salt water can be safe for your dog's fur and skin. But before you let your dog play in the water, make sure to bring towels and shampoo with you to ensure you remove any salt water and sand, which can be irritating.
2). Vinegar water rinse: Apple cider vinegar has long been used for first aid due to its cooling properties. It is used to treat small topical problems like cuts, wounds, dull fur, skin infections, calluses, and itchy areas, vinegar soothes skin, enhances the coat and helps keep fleas and ticks at bay.
Paw pads can take anywhere from 14 to 21 days to heal, but it depends on the wound and the reason for the bleeding. Deeper punctures will take longer to heal than cracked, dry paw pads and may require your dog to take it easy for a few days so as to not put too much pressure on the paw.
This is why it's important to create a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution for cleaning a wound. For each part of 3% hydrogen peroxide, use 3 parts water. So for example, you could mix one tablespoon of 3% strength hydrogen peroxide with 3 tablespoons of water, to keep it simple.