If you have cleaned up your dog's wound well, you can try to appose the edges and apply a bandage that will allow it to close and heal even quicker. Some wounds, especially on tissue like that of the nose and footpad, cannot be closed with sutures and are sealed with a surgical adhesive that is similar to super glue.
Superglue the cut
It seems strange, but this is what our vet advised us to do, and it worked perfectly. For smaller cuts or cracks, you can skip this step, but for a larger cut, manually hold the cut together and apply superglue.
Use non-stick sterile gauze pads to cushion the bottom of your dog's cut paw pad and to absorb any blood. This should also help reduce your dog's pain when walking on the foot. In order to help keep the gauze in place, wrap your pup's entire foot in a self-sticking bandage such as Vetwrap or Well & Good.
Dogs and female cats have internal sutures that provide strength to the tissue as they heal; these will dissolve after approximately four months. Surgical glue has also been applied to the skin to seal the incision against bacterial penetration.
Apply a small amount of antibacterial ointment and cover the wound with a piece of sterile gauze or other bandage. Use the elastic tape to hold the bandage in place. Consider an E-collar. Pets can't understand not to bite or lick at a bandage.
So while licking will slightly help decrease these two types of bacteria, there are many other bacteria that can start to overgrow in the wound. Unfortunately, this means that dog saliva ultimately does not help clean or heal the wounds, so it's best to prevent dogs from licking their wounds.
Walking on the injured foot often opens up the wound and further delays healing. And if infection sets in, your dog may end up with more than just foot problems. Since even minor foot pad injuries can be stubborn, it is a good idea to provide first aid at home and then see your veterinarian promptly.
Cut pads, with just a small slice that isn't bleeding, can be cleaned at home and wrapped to protect them for a few days. Keep the paw dry and keep your dog fairly quiet; no rough play right now. A cut pad that's bleeding significantly, or one that has a piece of skin dangling, will need veterinary care.
Savlon's Antiseptic cream is a form of topical medication that can be used for minor-wound care and cuts. It helps with the healing process and prevents infections from developing. If there is a scrape or cut on your dog's skin, you should be able to use this over-the-counter antiseptic cream as a one-off.
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.
Skin glue is a special medical glue used to close wounds. It can be used on its own or with stitches or adhesive tape. It forms a protective waterproof covering over your wound.
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.
Once injured, paw pads heal slower than other areas of the body. Even a small cut can take weeks or months to fully heal because dogs continually bear weight on their paws, which causes healing skin to tear, reopening wounds.
The veterinarian will be able to determine if the wound needs to be sutured. Sutures are usually only necessary if the wound is more than one inch deep. If the wound is not deep, you can usually treat it at home. Just be sure to keep the area clean and dry.
Bandage - Place a nonstick gauze pad directly over the cut and secure it with paper tape. Then wrap your dog's foot using roll gauze. The bandage should be tight enough to stay on, but also needs to be loose enough to allow circulation to your dog's food. You should be able to slide two fingers under the bandage.
And researchers at the University of Florida discovered a protein called nerve growth factor in saliva, which also speeds healing of wounds. Perhaps even more importantly, gentle licking of wounds can help remove dirt and debris that may slow healing and cause infection.
If your pet seems uncomfortable when you try to cover the wound, or if you don't have a dressing available, leave the area uncovered. If there is something inside the wound (such as piece of glass), don't try to remove it and avoid putting any pressure on it. Take your pet to the vet.
If they sustain a minor bump from outdoor play, you'll need to bandage them up to offset bacterial infection. If you do have to take your dog to the vet, a temporary dressing will help protect their wound while they're en route to the clinic.
Wherever possible, a wound will be closed and sutured in order to speed healing. However, if there is gross contamination or deep infection present, the wound will be left open for topical treatment and to ensure drainage.
For example, ingestion of isocyanate polyurethane adhesives (Sika, Selleys, Gorilla glue and others) can result in serious gastric complications in dogs. If swallowed, these glues can expand to a size that may cause an obstruction of your dog's stomach, emergency surgery may be necessary.
Super glue can be a viable option if used under the right circumstances (small and clean cut, not too deep and not infectious). If you choose to use household super glue or even over-the-counter adhesive products, do so with caution and full understanding of the risks, including infection and scarring.