If you’re a pet owner, it’s likely you’re familiar with those tough, squishy things on the bottom of your pet’s paws. Those are called paw pads, and they serve as cushions for the load-bearing limbs of the animal. Essentially, they’re built-in Nikes for the four-legged members of your family. Paw pads are helpful for a number of reasons:
Protection. Tough pads protect more sensitive areas and allow some amount of cushioning for an animal’s joints.
Traction. Much like the soles of our shoes, paw pads allow animals to move about freely without slipping and sliding.
Leverage. Paw pads are thick and springy, allowing cats and dogs to run, leap, and put a lot of miles on their feet.
Because they’re exposed to sharp objects, pressure, bacteria, extreme temperatures, and irritation from footsteps, an animal’s paw pads are particularly prone to injury. They’re also easy to bite and chew, which is a common response to discomfort caused by allergies, injury or irritation.
To promote the healing of minor paw pad injuries, follow these steps:
1. Remove any obvious debris from the wound. If the nail appears to be injured, trim back the broken portion (if possible) to help prevent additional discomfort.
2. Clean the wound and remove debris from the pad by soaking the foot in a bath of warm water with Epsom salts for 10-15 minutes. Swishing the injured foot back and forth through the water can help to dislodge debris painlessly.
3. Following the foot bath, pat the foot dry and if necessary, remove any remaining debris from the pad with a pair of tweezers.
In the case of serious injuries apart from minor scrapes and cuts, contact your vet or emergency animal hospital right away. If paw pad injuries aren’t addressed immediately, they could result in prolonged difficulties, including severe pain and musculoskeletal issues due to limping. If you notice an accumulation of callus forming on your pet’s paw, or notice that the callus is forming unevenly, show this to your vet before the pads become too thick or painful to walk on.
