I've read other postings about the stitches popping out on the foot. I'd hate to put her through all that just to be back at square one.

I just took her outside to pee and it looks like the foot is still bleeding. I think when she was walking on it the cut opened up. I'm off to the store for supplies.

 Quote:

*Such as heat, increased pain, discharge, redness (and red streaks are a go-to-the-vet-now thing), and swelling.

And odour. Sometimes if you take a good wiff you can smell infection, even if it doesn't look too bad yet. Some things like redness, heat and streaks can be hard to tell on a pad injury.

Having been through numerous cut pads and a chocolate Lab that sliced off a 1" chunk of pad....

This is what became "staples" in my house:

Non-Stick Telfa pads
Sterile 4x4 gauze pads
Nolvasan Scrub (vet or pet/livestock supply stores)
Sterile Water (vet or medical supply store)
Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic (generic) ointment
30cc syringe
Vet Wrap

I would wash the wound with the diluted Nolvasan scrub, use the 30cc syringe with sterile water to flush it and then pat dry.
Apply the ointment to the telfa pad and place over the wound.

Then use a couple 4x4's folded in half for padding and wrap with vet wrap.

Do not wrap the vet wrap too tight as it will tighten on it's own too. Wrap the foot, keeping the toes exposed and then wrap up to the carpal pad as this will help keep the bandage on.

If she is a chewer, you can get those flexible cone collars (I found clear ones at Pet Smart). I would leave the bandage off for a while each day so that she can clean it as well and so that it can start to dry out as well. I would change the dressing daily or when it gets wet.

It looks like a clean cut and not real deep so keeping it really clean and keeping an eye out for anything abnormal (as already mentioned) should be okay.

You could call your vet in the morning and ask if he has email and send him the pics. Maybe he can tell you if she needs to come in or not.

I have went the stitches route and Jennifer is correct, needs to be done shortly after the wound happened and the stitches are hard to keep in place in a pad cut like that.

Thanks.

I have everything except:

Nolvasan Scrub and Sterile Water.

I'll call the vet today.

You might have already thought of this, but if you keep it wrapped up, you should check it daily and make sure it looks ok. Even without stitches, she may end up needing antibiotics, just FYI. I used to work for a vet, and you'd be surprised how many people would bandage wounds, and leave the bandage on for 2 or 3 days straight, and then find out that an infection had gotten a good start before they finally removed the bandage. Just FYI. Good luck, Keith.

 Quote: carol boche

I would change the dressing daily or when it gets wet.

I just noticed this wording and I apologize....I wanted to say change daily AND if it gets wet as well.
Not sure what I was thinking when I just typed the "or" in there.
oooops

I've changed it 4 times in the last 24 hours.

I wrapped her foot in a manner to push/hold the cut together. When I change the dressing should I attempt to "wash out" the cut or just leave it closed?

So far it looks OK. She doesn't even seem to know that she is hurt. It's been difficult to get her to "just lie still!" She is going to be bouncing off the walls in a couple more days.

The purple in the photo is the Wound Kote. I only used that once.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa155/Nightmare_pics_999/FootDay2.jpg

The way it looks in the photo, I personally might leave it alone. But I am kind of undecided since I like to leave the bandages off for a while each day and let them breathe (the dog stays in the house and not allowed outside without the wrap).

It looks good from the photo though.....

Hey that looks pretty good! Better than I thought it would after a day. Perhaps it wasn't too deep after all.

I am with Carol on letting it breath in the house if you have the opportunity. Nice for it to dry out a bit.


If it will still bleed a bit walking around, or the wound is picking up stuff from your floor, you can use a very light cling gauze wrap with no vet wrap.

With the wound showing no signs of contamination or infection, I would not clean the wound every time you change the bandage. Fine line between aggravation and keeping it clean.

You can gently wipe around the area with a first aid/anticeptic wipe sometimes. I would sometimes squeeze a bit of the anticeptic juice in the wound (the non stinging kind). Pat dry.

If you think you see any signs of infection the protocol changes.

Otherwise just keep using the antibiotic ointment if that is what you have chosen.

Does the Nolvasan Scrub sting? Is that something I would use on a daily basis to clean the whole foot? A local feed/tack store has it in stock.

I let 'Bucks sit around for about 20 minutes today without anything on her foot. She licked it a little bit. I put some H2O2 on it and then applied a non-stick pad coated in Triple Antibiotic cream.

I'm home full time with Starbuck and our little girl (3 months old). So I'll give her more time without the bandages tomorrow.