My dog's paws have cuts after a walk. What caused them? Is he okay?

If the cuts are where the harness is rubbing, then it could be related yes. If you are walking in any brushy or overgrown areas, sticks and other objects may also cause cuts to form. Some allergies or external parasites may also cause cuts or scrapes if Hachi is itchy and scratching the area. If you suspect the harness, switching to a different one that has some padding may help. If you suspect twigs or branches, walking in a different location or even adding in some clothing or doggie boots (depending on the location of the cuts) may help protect him. If he has several wounds that are not healing and you can't find the cause, having a vet take a look in person to rule out any issues is a good idea.

Silly Hachi for continuing to pull on his leash! I would look into some dog booties for him. These will protect his feet during walks, and will keep him from reopening the wounds. You can make him wear them on walks until the wounds are fully healed. He probably won't like them at first, but he will get used to them. You can find dog booties at a pet store or online. While he is wearing the booties and his wounds are healing, I recommend enrolling him in an obedience course. This will teach him how to walk properly on a leash, as well as other useful tricks. It would be great for him as it exercises his mind and he gets to do fun things with you, and it will help him walk better on the leash. Speak to your vet about local obedience courses. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

This looks like a cut on the pad in the picture. You can soak Solomom's foot in warm water twice daily and gently cleanse it with some antibacterial soap. The warm water should be soothing and if you gently massage his foot while it's in the water you should be able to clean the area and feel if there is something in the foot. I wouldn't put anything on this as that will encourage licking. Foot injuries are painful. If the area gets more swollen and red, or he's not walking on it better in a day or so then I would bring him in for and exam. He may need antibiotics if the cut gets infected. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Solomon.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Hachi. If his paw is still bothering him today, I would recommend that he is seen. He could have sustained an insect bite or sting or stepped on something sharp. He could have a piece of something trapped under his skin. Either scenario would be irritating to him. The longer he goes on licking the paw, the more likely it will be to get infected. I hope this information helps!

Ouch, poor Bert! I would try gently cleaning the cut with warm water and antiseptic soap. Keep the cut clean and dry, and keep him from licking it by putting an Ecollar on him. You can get one at a pet store, or make one at home. I will put a link below on how to make one at home. Monitor the cut, and if it becomes red, swollen, warm to the touch, or you see pus then it's infected and Bert will have to see a vet for antibiotics. I hope this helps! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ffR-LzyW1M

If your dog is not bearing weight on the foot then this warrants a visit to the vet as the foot must be quite painful and the cut may be deep enough to need antibiotic treatment. The vet will determine this based on their exam.

Paw pad injuries should heal pretty quickly if they are going to heal at home. You can use sharp scissors and remove that flap of skin (but don't cut super close to the edge of the paw). Most of the time, this flap of skin will be like a cuticle on your finger so it doesn't cause pain to remove it. If it seems painful, don't cut it. After 5 days, the tissue underneath the flap should be looking more like the exterior paw pad. It should be darkening in color and not looking raw. If this is occurring, that's a good sign and Hercules seems to be healing it on his own. You can stop bandaging it. Continue to antibiotics for a full 10 days or until the wound is fully healed. You must prevent all licking and he should wear an elizabethan collar at all times. You must also prevent all trauma so no walks, running or jumping until the paw is fully healed. The paw shoudl be completely healed within 10-14 days from the time of the cut. If the paw still looks raw, has any discharge, pain or swelling at this time, Hercules needs to be examined by the veterinarian as this is abnormal and not expected. If at any point the cut shows any of these symptoms, he should be examined. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.