What is the importance of my dog’s foot pads?
These pads are the thick, rubbery part of the dog’s feet that cushion every step and provide traction to prevent slipping. Foot pads protect bones and joints from the shock incurred by running and walking. They also insulate the foot from extreme weather (hot and cold) and aid navigation of uneven or rough terrain.
Liver issues
Although Raditic says the pain subsides pretty quickly with proper healing it’s still important to keep track of your dog’s progress. “If it takes longer than three weeks, it’s a chronic problem.” She cites one of her clients who attributed her high energy Labrador’s daily routine of running multiple laps around the pool as the reason for his worn down and bleeding pads. But Raditic was suspicious because paw pads are typically resistant to injury when a dog is used to the activity.
“They’re durable and rugged. A healthy dog should be able to hike and run around without splitting or cracking his paw pads. It’s rare for most dogs other than working dogs or hunting dogs.”
After running tests on the Lab she discovered he had liver disease, which can be caused by toxins, medications, cancer, bacteria, viruses or autoimmune and degenerative issues. Liver disease may manifest in the paw pads as non-healing lesions that consist of chronic infections, crusting, thickening, erosions, ulcerations as well as blisters.
While there’s no definitive reason for a dog’s pads to be a symptom of liver disease Raditic says it most likely has to do with the significant role the liver plays in digestion, nutrient absorption and metabolism.
“Paw pads really need good nutrition to keep replacing dead cells with new healthy cells. If nutrient metabolism (i.e. iron, copper, zinc, vitamins A and D, etc.)is not normal due to a diseased liver, then skin/paw cells will not make enough new cells and/or the new cells will not be healthy and be a normal surface barrier.”
Depending on the cause, treatment for liver disease may include surgery, corticosteroids, antibiotics, special diets, nutritional supplements and more.
Should I Let My Dog Lick his Cut Paw?
It can be very hard to control whether your dog licks their wounds but it is always good to avoid licking the wound. That could transfer unwanted germs into the wound. But allowing your dog to gently lick their “non-serious” wound can be fine because they may be able to remove any debris that is still stuck in the wound.
Dog Health : How to Treat a Pad Injury on a Dog
While the pads of your dogs paws are much tougher than the bottoms of your feet, they can still suffer from cuts and other injuries. Our Berkeley emergency vets and team explain what you should do if your dog has a cut paw.
The pads of your dogs feet have been designed by nature to protect the inner workings of your dogs foot. If your dog experiences an injury to one of the pads on their feet it is necessary to care for the injury as quickly as possible. Below are a few things you can do to help your dogs foot heal.