Chagall's mom

Much as I tried to prevent it, Chagall's itchy paw pad split and started to bleed this morning. Question: what's the best way to treat and manage the wound? I will go out later to try to find a doggy boot since the sock isn't doing it. I will also have to use the Elizabethan collar, I realize, but for now I need to know how to prevent the wound from getting infected (it's on the bottom of his foot beneath one of his toes--poor baby!) and how to help it heal? I'll call the vet first thing Monday morning. Until then, any advice would be most welcome!

AgilityIG

Neosporin will work fine. Keep it covered - the sock is a good idea as it allows air flow and keeps the wound fairly clean. If he won't leave the sock alone - go to PetSmart or PetCo and get an elizabethian collar this morning. That is the best you can do for now - your vet will probably get him some oral meds (possibly an antibiotic, something for the itching and maybe pain meds).

WonderPup

My vet says not to put Neosporin on a pet wound, something about it slowing the healing process in dogs where as it speeds it up in humans. ?? I dunno. I just know I heard that at least four times a week while I worked there b/c somebody would call with a doggie boo boo and that was the advice given.

I have some pet specific ointment myself but to be honest I've used the vet's dreaded neosporin and it works just fine. Last year Saleen split her paw pad on the fence and a little beta dine wash and witch hazel compressses and some hospital grade antibiotic ointment stuff (basicly neosporin lol) that my hubby brought home from work did us just fine.

Main thing is to keep it clean and hopefuly get her to leave it alone so it can heal. Witch hazel is good for soothing and can be a cleansing agent. When I had my little one (before they decided on a c-section) witch hazel down below was the advice I got in conversation with my nurse. She said it would sooth. Ended up not being sore there so I didn't need it lol.

AgilityIG

Interesting - the ingredients in Neosporin are in a lot of topical pet meds - ask them which ingredient - I would be curious. I have used Neosporin with great success in my dogs as have our clients.

partial2poodles

I spray with Colloidal Silver (from Chris Christenson called "Peace & Kindness" and now there is a new Colloidal Silver Ointment at CVS Phamacy that claims to last for 3 days....it DOES on me. But I don't normally lick my wounds. But it is $8.99 for that little tube (the size of neosporin tubes) but its clear, odorless and if you bandage or wrap, it says not to unwrap for 3 days. It does work.

Chagall's mom

I your followed your advice and then some! I went to Cherrybrook (a large pet supplier about 45 minutes away) and bought "the Comfy Cone" e-collar, extreme boots for outside, self-adhering pressure tape (in three different colors!), then went to Rite-Aid and bought iodine, winding gauze and neosporin. I'll confess to buying Chagall many "extras" at Cherrybrook, including a deer antler to gnaw on and more of his favorite snack treats. The e-collar is SO HANDY, just for letting me clean and dress the wound alone it was worth it! He doesn't like wearing it--no surprise I know--but he's such a good boy he'll slink around in it if he has to. While I'm home, awake and watching him he gets a break from wearing it.

Everyone was so quickly helpful in offering me their experience-based advice, thanks for that. I realize much of this is common sense, and I promise you I DO have a brain, it just needs MUCH calming when something happens to my poodle! I can be, no, make that I AM so neurotic about him! Well now I guess you can just imagine what I put the vet through!!! Would you believe neither of my two previous dogs, who were in my life for a total of 23 years combined, ever injured a paw pad?! I was just so concerned about infection and weight bearing on the boo-boo, but for the moment all is quite well. Whew!

pudlemom

My boy Luke about sliced two of his pads completely off about 6 weeks ago we were on one of our bike rides and when I got home I noticed He was limping and then I saw blood like you I freaked out.
I never saw a thing in the road and we ride the same trek everyday. I cleaned it out with iodine initially and every time after he went out to go potty and kept him up in his kennel, he could hardly walk for about a week I felt so bad for him.
I went back and look and never found anything I have no idea what he cut it on other than maybe it was the pavement he was running pretty hard and maybe he dug in to a rough spot. He is completely heal up now, I was just looking at it this morning and you can't tell and let me tell you it looked awful at first. I hope your baby get's better soon

Chagall's mom

Wow! Sounds like Luke really had bad gashes on his paws--I'm glad he's all healed up. Chagall's "boo-boo" was small and is already healing! He tolerates me cleansing it, putting on the neosporin and self-adhering tape. I hope I can soon just put the doggy boot on his foot when he goes outside. I don't want to keep the paw sealed up with guaze/tape for long to avoid anerobic bacteria flaring up. Thanks for cheering him (and me) on! Geesh, doggy love come at such a price--worry, worry, worry!!!

Chagall's mom

The next time you need an Elizabethan collar (and you know you likely will!), I want to recommend The Comfy Cone. Chagall's wearing one until his paw heals completely. It really doesn't impede his movement, even allowing him to sleep comfortably and it's sparing our walls from all the banging of the stiff traditional plastic e-collars. I got it from Cherrybrook, they're local to us but also on-line, lots of others sell it too I see from a brief web search. I hope you don't need it, but if you do, it's a good solution. The velcro closure strips on it are noisy when opened and closed and at first the sound startled Chagall a bit, but after a few moments he settled down about it. I think giving him some tasty treats while introducing helped.

WonderPup

I will try and remember to ask when I take the tibs in for their annual. I haven't ever really noticed a difference to be honest but they used to swear it was so. Kind of like my hubby swears you really shouldn't clean a wound with peroxide. Haha it's easier to just not argue in the spirit of pick you battles ya know. :P I'll make a note in my phone though to ask.