How to Heal an Open Wound on a Dog's Paw

Injuries to your dog’s paws can happen at any time and are more often caused by stones or other sharp objects in your pet’s play area. An open wound on your dog’s paw can be treated at home, but you need to be sure that you have the proper materials to do so. Povidone iodine is a solution that can be purchased at your local pharmacy and works wonders for healing open wounds, minor cuts and abrasions. And wrapping your dog’s wounded paw in a sterile bandage following its application can help expedite the healing process.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Povidone iodine
• Sterile, self-adhesive elastic bandages
• Anti-infection ointment
• Gauze
• Scissors
• Elizabethan collar
• Veterinary professional

1. Soak the area of the wound in a povidone iodine solution, daily. To do this, saturate a large square of gauze with the iodine and place it over the wound. Let the gauze sit on the area for a few minutes, but don't wipe, rub, or agitate the wound. A firm squeeze of the gauze sheet will allow any excess iodine to seep onto the wound, so try this a few times.

2. Apply an anti-bacterial ointment to the wound, such as a Neosporin cream to reduce the possibility of an infection to the area. The cream should be applied gently with a clean piece of gauze or a gloved hand.

3. Wrap the wound lightly with a self-adhesive elastic bandage. This type of bandage is sterile and comes in the form of a roll. Cut a piece long enough to wrap several times, but be sure that it is not wrapped so tightly that it will interfere with circulation.

4. Add garlic to your dog’s meals as a natural way to combat infection internally. A small amount of garlic, mixed with your dog's favorite food, can go undetected and its medicinal properties are extremely beneficial when taken internally.

5. Change the bandage daily and observe the appearance of the wound. Continue the above steps for soaking and wrapping and try to avoid allowing your dog to chew at the bandage. If this happens, a device can be placed around your dog’s neck to prevent it from reaching the area. The cone-shaped E-collar can be purchased from your veterinarian to inhibit the natural instinct to chew or lick a wounded area.

Tips & Warnings

• Speaking in a soft, gentle voice to your dog while you are completing the bandaging process. This will help calm it and make it easier to complete the task.
• Always use a clean, sterile bandage each time you change your dog’s dressing. Re-using a dirty bandage is not recommended and can harbor infection.
• Many wounds can be treated at home, but if you feel that the situation is something that you can not handle, a professional can give you advice.
• If you notice that your dog’s paw is becoming infected or looks swollen, seek your veterinarian’s advice immediately.

Resources

• Medical supplies for your pets, especially materials needed to treat wounds and other health issues can be found at:

Who Can Help Sponsored

[graeme63]

on 5/29/2009 great article thankyou

[Thims]

on 10/3/2008 I never would have thought to add garlic to my dog's meal to help prevent infection. My dog's breath smells bad enough without have to add rupugnance! Great article!