How to cure the pads of dogs - the best tips

One of the aspects that few people living with dogs have in mind, until a problem appears and usually due to lack of knowledge of this possibility, is that the pads of dogs can suffer various types of problems. You have to know how to detect them and treat them well, because it is an area of the legs that is always in contact with the ground and can be damaged more easily than other parts of the animal's body. In we want to help you to offer the best care to your furry companion, so in this article we tell you how to cure the pads of dogs and first aid, some home remedies, for what reasons can be injured and how to avoid it. Take note!

The pads of the legs of the dogs

The pads of the dogs are the part with which they tread, reason why they are comparable to the plants of our feet. It is an area in which, normally, the skin is much thicker and harder than in the rest of the body. Therefore, this part of the legs of a dog is usually the most resistant to be created to be in constant contact with the ground.

They protect the joints of the legs when walking and running, dampening a bit the movements, impacts and pressure of the animal's own body, so they prevent bumps and damage to the bones of the feet and legs, as well as allowing the animal to travel long distances if necessary.

However, like any other part of the body, the skin of this part of the legs can dry, crack, suffer injuries of various types, especially when the animal is subjected to overexertion or to walk or walk in unsuitable areas, such as very rocky or abrasive terrain. Also, there are dogs that have this area harder and others that have a thin skin and are more prone to damage.

Symptoms and causes of injuries in the pads of dogs

It is necessary to know some signs of wounds or problems in the pads of dogs to act as soon as possible, so you see that your hairy limps, does not support a leg at all, bites and licks its legs, see a little blood or directly the Wound, if you look at the skin around and the dog's cracked, raised, open, raw or red pad, then it is when you should check your legs and detect the problem and the possible cause to cure it well.

The main causes of injuries in the pads of dogs are the following:

Step on glass, glass, garbage and waste that can cut.
Step on pebbles and hard, rocky terrain.
Burning with the ground, usually in areas of asphalt or cement or, in areas with snow and ice. That is, they can suffer burns with both very high and low temperatures.
Excess of exercise or game, since when the dog forces the legs too much and rubs a lot and constantly for a long time against the ground there can be both light scratches and more serious wounds as well as ending with the pad raised or opened.

How long does it take to cure a dog's pads?

The wounds in this part of the body can take a while to heal if this area is in constant direct contact with the ground, but if it is well protected and the animal is allowed to rest, it can be cured in much less time. Of course, everything will depend on the severity and / or depth of the wound.

If you ask yourself " How to cure the pads of my dog's legs? " Pay attention to the following sections, in which we tell you how to cure them with veterinary treatment and how to do it with remedies and when it is convenient to use each of the methods.

How to cure the pads of my dog's paws

For those who want to know how to cure the pads of dogs' paws it is good to know first that everything depends on what the problem is and whether or not first aid is necessary. To assess the situation, we must observe the scratch and determine if there is a very deep wound, it is burned, it bleeds a lot, there is an open or raised part, and in these cases we will go directly to the veterinarian, or if it is just a gall or a small cut, then we can do something at home.

If the wound bleeds enough it is important that before going to the vet we try to stop or reduce the bleeding. For this, we will use abundant oxygenated water and sterile gauze and, when we see that it no longer bleeds or is much milder, we can go to the specialist.

If the cuts, burns or wounds are superficial we can cure the pads of a dog at home :

Wash the scratch with lukewarm water to remove possible waste and you can see better what is the severity of this.
Apply a little oxygenated water and dry with gauze and soft touches.
Dilute a little iodine or clohexidine digluconate suitable for pets and apply it with another gauze.
Although it would be best to leave the wound in the air, as this area is always on the ground it is necessary to protect it with a bandage that you will have to change 2 or 3 times a day and control the healing process.
You can apply some healing ointment to the pads of the dogs following the instructions on the package.
Place an Elizabethan collar on your pet to avoid removing the bandage and / or licking the ointment or other products.

If it worsens or if from the beginning you see that it is serious it will be the veterinarian who decides which treatment is the most indicated and if, for example, the wound must be sutured or not. Always follow their recommendations.

Home remedy with aloe vera to cure the pads of dogs

Aloe vera or aloe vera for dogs pads can be used as a remedy to take care of them and prevent problems or to treat minor scratches or as a healing treatment after a major injury. This plant has moisturizing, regenerating, healing, antiseptic and analgesic properties that will promote good health of this part of the legs and a faster recovery in case of damage.

You only have to extract the pulp from a leaf or buy the natural aloe vera gel and apply it daily at the base of the legs of your hairy or twice a day if it is to regenerate the skin .

How to avoid injuries in the pads of dogs

Now that you know how to heal the pads of a dog, it is good that you also know how you can avoid wounds, burns and chafing in this part of your body in a simple way:

Avoid areas with broken glass and small stones

One of the best ways to get our dog does not suffer damage to the legs is to avoid areas with garbage and debris, which can easily be crystals and other fragments that cut. In the same way, it is convenient not to go to areas where there are small stones that can be sharp or where there is a very hard or rocky terrain.

Avoid excessive heat and cold

Do not go for a walk in hot hours of heat. Although it is not very hot anymore, you always have to follow the 5 seconds rule . This consists of placing the back of our hand on the asphalt or cement of the street where we want to walk and hold as much as we can, if we hold more than 5 seconds we can leave, but if we endure just this time or less we can not walk to our hairy, because it most likely suffers burns.

Also, you should not go out to walk your furry if it was too cold, because too low temperatures can also burn the legs of the dogs.

Products to harden the pads of dogs

There are those who wonder if they can strengthen the thin skin in this part of the legs of their furry, because there are those who have more delicate, and wonder " how to harden the pads of a dog? ". The answer is that specific products should be used to harden the pads, sold in veterinary clinics and in pet stores. It is advisable to start using them as soon as we know that in a few days we are going to subject the dog to a long walk, a day of mountain, beach, heat or snow. So this part of the legs will be much more prepared to endure.

Use dog pads protector

You can also use products that serve to protect this more delicate area of the legs of the dogs. There are special boots that are recommended to use in cases where the animal has to go through areas of hard or rocky terrain or very cold temperatures, or you can use cream for the pads of dogs, which is like a balm that hydrates them in depth and creates a protective layer against chafing.