It’s Hot Outside.
Your dog invites you to go for a walk. However, before anything else, you need to take extra precautions.
One dog owner reported how his beloved dog was injured after walking outside. Once they were home, he noticed that his dog started limping with no apparent reasons.
He wasn’t sure what happened. He tried to call his dog, but would simply look his way. The owner can tell from his face that he wants to go to him. Something was amiss.
That’s when the dog owner brought his pet to the nearest animal clinic. The vet assessed the dog and later found out that his paw pads were burned. With enough interview and investigation, the vet concluded that the hot pavement caused the injury to the dog.
After reading this story, you would soon realize that it is possible for your dog to get burned simply by walking over a hot surface. For this reason, you need to be careful when bringing your dog outside in hot summer months.
Signs And Symptoms
Your dog’s paw pads are tough and designed to withstand pressure, heat, and cold. However, this does not mean that you should not be worried about paw pad burns.
Here are some signs and symptoms you need to watch out for:
- Shows signs of discomfort
- Limping
- Refusal to walk
- Vocalizing in pain
- Holding up a foot
- Licking at their foot or feet
When you look closely, the burns on your dog’s paws are visible to the eye. You’ll notice that even if your dog’s paws are black, it can turn red when burned.
Burned paw pads may manifest as blisters. Once the blisters rupture, it can be painful. Without proper care, the blisters may worsen and get infected. In some severe cases, your dog’s paw pad may even come off of your dog’s paws. Yikes!
As you can see, paw pad burns are something serious. You should not risk it if you think it’s too hot to bring your dog for a walk.
Treatment And Management
How your dog is treated depends on the severity of the burn. If you see your dog’s paws just show a little redness and no blisters, then you can take care of your dog in your home. He can recover on his own.
Nevertheless, if your dog’s burn is severe like you could see visible blisters and extreme redness, you need to bring him to the vet for care immediately.
Once you’re in the clinic, the vet will interview you and determine the problem. If paw pad burns are established, then treatment starts right away.
Usually, treatment would include antibiotics. They will also bandage the affected foot/feet to prevent further complications.
During recovery, walking should be limited to soft and cool surfaces. Avoid hot concrete and keep him inside your home as much as possible.
Prevent your dog from licking the injured area. Be patient as with enough care, your dog should be back up and moving again.
Prevention
The best way to prevent burnt paw pads is to keep your dog from hot pavement. You can test how hot the pavement is. Try to take off your shoes and stand on the pavement barefoot. If you can keep your feet on the pavement for more than five seconds, then the pavement isn’t hot enough to injure your dog.
While it is great to enjoy the summer months, safety should still be top priority. You can have a fun and wonderful summer together as long as you take enough safety precautions.
