Paw pads are tough and usually heal quickly, but it depends on the severity of the injury. Abrasions and superficial cuts often heal within a few days, while deep lacerations or puncture wounds may take a week or longer.
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.
Minor cuts and scrapes on your dog's paw pad cut can often be managed at home but for deeper cuts, you will need to seek veterinary care for your pooch. If your dog's cut is ragged, deep or has debris lodged in it it's time to head to your vet or the emergency veterinary hospital nearest you.
Healthy dogs should be able to grow new cells easily. But because paw pads are made up of tough keratinized epithelium the healing process can take up to three weeks.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If your dog's paws have a minor cut or wound, clean it with an antibacterial solution, apply an antibacterial cream, and then wrap with a light bandage. Deeper cuts should be looked at by a veterinarian. These could indicate a bigger issue like a cut to the tendon. Ease into exercise.
Our veterinarians may need to stitch your dog's paw if:
The wound is jagged. It's a clean cut, but it's fairly deep and long. The wound is bleeding a lot, or it won't stop bleeding.
If your dog has a broken bone, it's not likely they will put any weight on the affected limb. Depending on the severity of the break and the amount of pain your dog is in, they can still get around, but they will most undoubtedly limp and avoid using the affected limb.
If your dog's cut is deep, ragged, or has debris lodged in it you will need to head to your vet or the nearest emergency veterinary hospital. Serious cuts will have to be cleaned and dressed by a veterinarian, in some situations your vet might prescribe antibiotics to help fight any developing infections.
Following rekeratinization of the paw pad, a pad toughener may be used topically to aid in resisting normal "wear-and-tear." For superficial abrasions and burns, re-epithelialization may be complete by seven to nine days. With deeper injuries, healing may take up to 21 days, depending on the size of the wound.
As long as you don't see the blackened or dying tissue and you do see new soft pink tissue forming, that means the wound is healing appropriately and soon the maturation stage of the wound will begin, As the wound enters the final stage of healing the wound will be much smaller and the flesh will be less of a pink ...
If your dog's paw(s) are in pain or injured, your dog may begin to limp or favor one paw over another. Your dog may also lick their paws much more than they usually do, they may chew the paws or the toenails, and in extreme cases, their paw pads may even bleed and they may whine and wince in pain.
TREATING DRY, CRACKED PAWS
When a dog's paw pads are cracked, their natural processes can usually take care of healing themselves. Often, all you need to do is to make sure that they're clean and dry all the time.
Minor tears will stop bleeding in a matter of minutes, but deeper wounds take longer to stabilize. Also, bleeding may reoccur when your dog puts pressure on the foot. If you cannot stop the bleeding within 10-15 minutes, this is an emergency, take your dog to the emergency veterinary clinic.
But it's important to know how to stop the bleeding as well because they can bleed an awful lot. Regardless of how much or how little your dog might bleed, you should try to put a pressure bandage on.
Licking might offer some protection against certain bacteria, but there are serious drawbacks to letting your dog lick wounds. Excessive licking can lead to irritation, paving the way for hot spots, infections, and potential self-mutilation. Licking and chewing can also slow healing by reopening wounds.
Bandaging a wound on your dog can be enough to stop your dog wanting to lick the wound, as it's often a case of out of sight out of mind. Tip - You want to ensure that the bandage is on firmly but not too tight, that it is comfortable for your dog and they are able to move around easily.
HUMANS NOT AT RISK, IT'S THE OTHER WAY ROUND
Other safe ways to show affection are cuddles, petting them on laps and of course belly rubs," says Dr Shilpy. However, experts say one should not let their pets lick the areas around nose, mouth and eyes to minimise risk of infections.