What A Vet Can Do About Sore Paw Pads
Posted on: 6 June 2022
A dog's paw pads can become sore for a number of reasons. Maybe your dog walked over some hot asphalt and has minor burns on their pads. Or perhaps they simply hiked over a lot of rough terrain, and they have some abrasions and swelling on their pads as a result. Sore paw pads are not usually an emergency, but they are a reason to take your dog to the vet. Here are a few of the treatments vets can offer for sore pads.
Steroid Creams
If the soreness is caused by burns, or by constant licking due to allergies, the vet may give you a steroid cream to apply to your dog's paws. This is a different kind of steroid than the type that bodybuilders take. It's intended to speed up the body's healing process and reduce inflammation, which should make your dog more comfortable. Steroids can cause an increased appetite and changes in energy levels, but these effects are usually minor when the steroids are only used for a few days to treat sore paws.
Antibacterial Ointments
Some of the soreness may be caused by the early start of an infection in any small cuts or abrasions your dog has on their paw pads. An antibacterial ointment can be really helpful in getting rid of this infection before it has a chance to spread. There are a lot of antibacterial ointments you can buy over the counter, but your vet can recommend one that will really penetrate the paw pads and offer the best results.
Wrapping the Paws
In some cases, your vet will wrap your dog's sore paws. This is something you should let the vet do rather than do on your own. A paw bandage has to be a specific tightness to avoid cutting off circulation while also staying on. Wearing a protective bandage or bandages may allow your dog to walk more comfortably for a few days while their paw pads heal. This approach is also common when dogs are licking their paws and making the soreness worse. The bandage will prevent additional licking.
If your dog's paw pads are sore, or if they appear to be swollen or injured, then you should take your dog to a veterinarian. There are a lot of treatments a vet can administer to keep your dog more comfortable while also managing whatever is causing the soreness. The options above are just a few of the more common ones.
Contact an animal hospital near you for more information.
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