Image credits -Pixabay
Paw pads are the tough, spongy undersides of your dogโs paw. They
provide padding and insulation to your furry friendโs paws. When
you take her out in harsh conditions such as extreme heat or a
particularly rocky path, the pads will prevent any serious injury
to her paws.Summer is perhaps the harshest season for your dog.
When you take her for a walk, the heat on the roads can cause
severe burns on her paws. The burn will destroy the top layer of
her skin on the paw and put her in a considerable amount of pain.
You can treat paw pad burns at home but if the burn is quite
serious, take her to the vet immediately.
How do you diagnose a paw pad burn?
The simplest way to know of a pad burn is if you have seen her
walking on a hot surface. She may not show any discomfort
initially but as the pain progresses she will. If she is limping,
has redness, is holding up her paw, has blisters, or is refusing
to walk, check for pad burns. She may even lick her paws more
frequently to relieve the pain.
Treating paw pad burns
It is important that you treat pad burns as soon as you notice
the indicators. Follow the steps below to heal the burns and
prevent any infection.
-
Clean the burn โ Before you start any
treatment, clean the wound with an antibacterial soap. Remove
any debris that you find and thoroughly wash the injured area.
-
check for bleeding โ Gently apply pressure
under the paw burn to see if there is any bleeding. In case of
a bleed, maintain pressure on the cut till it stops and wash
her paws afterward. Small cuts can be treated at home. For
larger and much deeper cuts, take her to the vet.
-
Soak her paws โ Put her paws in cold water for
about ten minutes. This should cause immense relief and ease
her pain. If she does not like it, use a cold compress on the
area at regular intervals.
-
Use an antiseptic spray or
ointment โ To prevent infection, apply an antiseptic
cream to the burned area.
-
Wrap the paw in a bandage โ Roll a bandage
around the paw to prevent the ointment from rubbing off. Use
the โfigure 8โ pattern to fasten the bandage.
-
Take her to the vet โ No matter how small the
burn, you should take her to the vet and ensure the injury is
not serious. The vet may prescribe a better ointment or pills
for pain relief.
You can prevent further paw pad burns by following a few
preventive measures. Taking your dog for walks in mild weather,
on grassy surfaces, and moisturizing her paws after every walk
can keep them safe and healthy.
How to protect your dog's paws from hot pavement
Walking outside with your dog is an enjoyable activity. Many
owners forget that during hot summers, the hot pavement may burn
their dog's paws. If you love to walk around with your dog, then
it is vital you look into this matter. Matters could turn worse
as the temperature of the road surface can be high enough to cook
food. To understand how hot it can become, touch the road with
your palms. If it is scalding, envision how your dog suffers. If
you have a pup, do not bring it outside under any circumstance.
You can take a few precautions in this regard
Walk the dog only when it is
cool
This is obvious but many owners ignore it. As an owner of a dog,
you must be mindful of all the times you take your best friend
out. The dog's paws will not scald during winter, spring, and
autumn, but may do during summers. The ideal time to walk the dog
is during late evening time or in the early morning. The pavement
will be cool at that time of the day. Do not take your dog
walking in the afternoon. The sun will be blazing hot overhead
and the pavement unfit for any paw.
Toughen the dog's paw
Make your dog walk more on the pavement during congenial times of
the day. It will make its paws tough over a period of time. The
rough road surface will acclimatize her paw to hot surfaces over
time. In case you must take your dog out in the middle of a
summer day, why not walk the canine on the grass and in the shady
areas. Avoid paw burn by staying out of the road and pavement.
The best place to walk a dog when the sun is directly overhead is
on a grass-filled park.
Moisturizing helps and paw
wax
It is a good initiative to toughen your dog's paws. It should
not, however, be too dry. If this happens, the feet will be
vulnerable to cuts, cracking, and peeling. Having any of them
will make the paws susceptible to hot pavement burns. It makes
excellent sense to daily moisturize the dog's pads, especially
during hot weather. Use a special cream specially created for
this purpose. You can spread paw wax on the dog's paw before
walking to protect the animal from multiple chemicals and
surfaces.
Dog shoes are good
These are an excellent way to protect the paws of your dog from
multiple harmful surfaces. The dog will be saved from a number of
potential injuries if it wears shoes. The shoes must properly fit
your dog. There could be a danger if they do not.
