Whether it's a change in gait or excessive paw licking: we dog owners quickly notice when something is wrong with our four-legged friends' paws. If your dog has walked its paws sore, we have helpful tips here on how to quickly find the cause of the wound and treat it even faster. From foreign bodies to insect bites, we have listed the most common culprits - you will also learn here how best to prevent a sore dog paw.
If you cannot clearly identify the paw injury and the treatment of the sore spot does not seem to help, it is better to take your four-legged friend to the vet - a quick visit to the vet is always the safest option.
Something is wrong here! The first signs of a sore paw in your dog
If your dog licks its paws more and more often, perhaps even nibbles at them, and does so even at night, these are clear signs that there is some kind of paw injury. Often, such an injury to the pads and claws first manifests itself as itching: to relieve this, your four-legged friend constantly licks its paw. But what are the causes of this itching? Answer: Many things are possible. Mites, yeasts, swellings, allergies, but also stress and boredom can lead to pathological paw licking in your four-legged friend. If you notice this in your darling, it is urgently advisable to look for the exact cause of the sore paw - as soon as you know what is tormenting your dog, you can help him.
From foreign bodies to allergies: Possible causes of sore paws
If sore pads or an injury to the paw occur after a walk, the most common causes are foreign bodies under the skin: splinters, awns, shards, pebbles and other small things can get into your dog's paw and cause a painful injury there. Caution: Depending on the size and sharpness of the foreign body, the wound can also be quite deep! Therefore, look closely, because what initially looks like a small scratch can later go much deeper and may even have to be treated by a vet.
Bacteria and viruses can then easily penetrate your dog's paw through such open wounds. To prevent inflammation of the paw pad, you should thoroughly clean the paw in case of a cut and bandage it. The SKO protective boot for dogs offers the necessary protection against further injuries. In an emergency, have the paw injury treated by a vet.
In addition to foreign bodies and bacteria, sore dog paws can also be due to allergic causes: It may be that your dog is particularly susceptible to certain substances in its environment and develops an allergic reaction. Whether pollutants, parasites such as mites, grasses or pollen, all of them could be responsible for your darling's sore paw.
But our dogs can not only injure their paws outdoors, because even overly dry or overly damp floors in the apartment or house can lead to paw injuries in our four-legged friends - the pads become cracked more quickly and are more easily inflamed. If the paw pads or claws show wounds within your own four walls, it is worth considering buying carpets for your dog's sake. Especially if you have an older dog, carpets are advisable, as they provide much better grip - similar to a dog house shoe.
How are sore claws and dog paws best treated?
Since a sore paw is a common problem in many dogs, it is important that you have the necessary skills to treat your dog yourself. Since the cause of a paw injury can have many causes, it is important that you take the time to find out what is the reason for the sore dog paw in your case: As mentioned, this can be foreign bodies, insect bites or friction as well as inflammation of the pad.
If it is a foreign body such as a splinter or a piece of glass, you can carefully remove it with tweezers. In general, it is worth thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting the paw to prevent infections: It is best to use cold, clear water and a diluted disinfectant solution. After cleaning the paw injury, you should cover the wound on the pad with a compress, paw bandage or bandage.
In case of uncertainties and in an emergency, call your vet, because only a vet can determine which treatment is really best for your four-legged friend.
What you can do to prevent sore paws in your dog
Dogs spend a lot of time running around and playing outside. To save your dog a painful experience, you can take a few simple precautions to keep their paws healthy. First, you should regularly check their paws for injuries or irritations: If you find anything that doesn't look normal, contact your vet.
Some dog owners cream their dog's paws before a walk, because an ointment protects the paws when they come into contact with rough surfaces - however, when they come into contact with water, the grip on the skin is quickly lost. In contrast, our TOFFLER dog shoes are the longer-term solution to prevent injuries to claws and paw pads.
And what if the dog's paws are constantly sore?
The reason for this is probably that your dog lacks a suitable surface. Smooth surfaces such as linoleum or cork or soft surfaces such as carpets are ideal. However, if the floor in your apartment or house is very hard with grooves and unevenness, this can lead to sore paws in your four-legged friend.
Conclusion: These can be the reasons for your dog's sore paw
In addition to uneven floors and foreign bodies, allergens such as pollen can also be responsible for a sore paw in your darling. As soon as you notice an injury, you should disinfect the area on the dog's paw and then protect it with a bandage. If there is a foreign body in the paw, carefully remove it with tweezers or, if necessary, have it professionally removed by a vet.
So that your dog's pads and claws always stay healthy, suitable dog shoes can be a long-term solution for walks.
In short: These are our tips for treating sore paws in dogs
- If friction from overly dry or uneven floors is the cause of sore paws, you should best relieve your dog's paw pads with carpeting or our practical paw protection.
- If it is an inflammation or infection caused by open wounds, clean the wound with disinfectant solutions and apply a protective paw bandage. So that your four-legged friend
Feel free to share your tips & tricks for sore dog paws - how do you proceed when your dog has injured itself? We look forward to your comment!
