Our Black lab had a long day of swimming and running on hars surfaces. The outside layer of her back paw pads have partially torn...what do we need to do?
Are they rubbed raw? Bleeding? My dogs sometimes get split and bleeding pads from salt on the roads in the winter. I ensure they are clean, using sterile wipes and a betadine or hibiscrub solution and keep an eye on them. I use Musher's Secret paw wax to keep them malleable and less prone to splitting, which has greatly reduced the frequency of it occurring. It doesn't seem to bother them in the slightest, although if they rub them raw (sometimes they do this running around like lunatics) they can sometimes get a bit too interested in licking them, which I divert them from. You can use rubber boots (Pawz) to protect them when going out for walks until they're healed and, if it happens regularly, maybe consider using boots like the Ruffwear range for the surfaces she's running on. If it's something more serious than that, though, you should talk to your vet; foot injuries can be a real pain to get to heal.
Following - I am reading different boots models reviews at the moment (for hot weather and demanding surfaces or in case of an injury). Kona had problems with her pads - water/rocks/water ... on our last hiking trip, I managed to wrap her paw using bandage and my sock to make it softer and easier for her to walk, but it kept slipping off. And as much as I've read so far, I tends to happen a lot with most of the boot models. So far, I believe Ruffwear Summit Trex meets most of our needs.
Thank you so much for the feedback!! Luckily they are not raw or bleeing.....I will try the Musher's secret paaw wax for sure!!!
