The toughest part of the animal's skin is the footpad. A thick, spongy structure, the footpad is located on each digit under the metacarpal and metatarsal joints of both dogs and cat. This part of the body is used to absorb shock and pressure from standing and running. All footpads consist of a thickened layer of skin and possess a rough surface. In dogs, the outerlay of the footpad is usually pigmented.

Footpads are often prone to injury based on their location and fuction. Due to the many blood vessels located there, the pad may bleen in excess when injured. Most footpad injuries are the result of lacerations, punctures, abrasions, burns, tramatic pad removal or tumors. Some extensive pad injuries do not heal due to constand pressure and use of the foot.

What to Watch For:

• Bleeding
• Limping or not putting weight on the foot
• Discoloration of the pad
• Excessive licking of pad

Diagnosing footpad related tumors
A physical examination can usually diagnose most pad injuries. To diagnose tumors of the footpad, tests other than a physical examination will be needed. While under local anesthetic or general anesthesia your vet will biopsy a suspicious mass and submit it for examination by a pathologist. The pathologist will review it to determine whether the mass is infectious, inflammatory or cancerous.

Treatment
Lacerations, punctures and abrasions account for a majority of footpad injuries but more extensive injuries are possible. The severity of injury will determine how much veterinary care will be needed.

For mild traumas such as small lacerations, abrasions or punctures the wound should be thoroughly cleaned by a veterinarian with povidone iodine or chlorhexidine then applied with a light temporary bandage. To prevent your pet from licking its feet an Elizabethan collar may be needed. This collar will prevent the dog from licking and biting allowing the wound to heal properly, while still allowing the dog to eat and drink freely. Bandaged paws require frequent bandage changes. Regular bandage changes, every 2-3 days, are vital as dogs sweat from their footpad and the moisture generated will slow healing and may lead to infection.

More extensive lacerations and punctures require proper management in order to heal. Each time a pet steps down on a pad with extensive lacerations the pad spread and the edges of the laceration spread apart. This spreading apart makes healing difficult. Just as minor cuts, the wound will be cleaned with povidone iodine or chlorhexidine. The veterinarian will then suture the wound to attempt to keep the edges of the laceration together, promoting healing. A thick non-adherent bandage or even a splint will be applied to the pad. A splint will help reduce the pressure to which the injured pad is subjected.

Certain injuries result in a layer of the pad being torn away. In these situtations, suturing is not possible. Once thoroughly cleaned the pad will have a non-adherent bandage or splint applied.

Sometimes however, severe pad injuries may result in the complete loss of a pad. A vet will determine treatment based on which pad is lost. The pads of the middle toes are responsible for weight bearing and generally are more severe than injuries to the pads of the outer toes for this reason. Smaller dogs may not encounter serious problems once a missing pad has healed properly. Larger dogs that spend significant time outdoors may require a footpad graft.

In a footpad graft procedure, a nearby pad is grafted onto the missing pad area. The secondary pads located at the level of the wrist or ankle can also be grafted to the injured area. In seriously severe cases, a toe can be removed and the pad associated with that pad transposed to the weight bearing area of the foot. This should be considered a salvage procedure and be done only in extreme cases.

No matter the severity of the pad injury, regular applications of aloe vera gel beginning early on in the treatment process have been found to promote healing.

Home Care
For minor pad injuries, soaking and cleaning with povidone iodine or chlorhexidine should be sufficient. Attempt to prevent your dog from licking at the wound as an infection could form. Although the injury may be considered minor, be sure to consult your vet as this article is only for informational purposes. For more extensive wounds a call to your veterinarian is in order.

Preventative Care
Pad injuries are more often than not true accidents and difficult to prevent. But the risks can be decreased by keeping the dog's environment free of any sharp object. Also, keep the dog out of areas littered with trash.