Mary Allen
A dog’s paws are generally very strong. However, if your dog injures itself there, the skin on the ball of the foot may come off. The resulting wounds are uncomfortable and prone to infection, so they need to be treated properly.
You can find out here why the cornea in dogs comes off the ball of the foot and how you can best react to it.
In a nutshell: Why is the skin on the paws of my dog’s paws coming off?
There are many things that can cause a dog’s skin to come loose. Dogs have usually injured themselves on broken glass, splinters or branches and torn their skin. However, sensitive dogs may also get their paws sore.
Left untreated, such sores can also become inflamed cysts or blisters that form under the skin and become itchy. Your dog will scratch and nibble on these until they tear open.
3 typical causes when the bale comes off
Your dog has a thick callus on the pad that protects the soft meat. It doesn’t break up as easily, so it’s a serious sign when the bale comes loose.
Injury
A paw injury occurs quickly. If your dog carelessly tramples over shards of a glass bottle lying around, sharp edges or small splinters, thorns, or branches, it does not always notice immediately when the skin on the pad tears due to its thick calluses.
However, sometimes after a while he feels the strain and starts limping or nibbling at the wound to remove the foreign object.
Problematic paw nipping
Some injuries are barely visible and initially not a problem. However, the itching caused by an annoying stuck splinter or scabbing will get on your dog’s nerves and he will start licking the wound.
As a result, he repeatedly tears the wound open and, in the worst case, enlarges it.
Sore paws
Some dogs tend to overestimate their health. In this way, old and young dogs in particular do not notice that the skin on their paws is overstrained. They practically rub off the cornea, which is not yet thick enough or no longer thick enough, on the road. Abrasions develop that make walking painful.
When to the vet?
Injuries to the paw that are so serious that the skin on the pad comes off must be treated by a veterinarian. Bacteria can penetrate through the cracks and trigger an inflammatory reaction.
Especially if your dog is limping or shows pain when walking, a visit to your veterinarian is advisable. She can then dress and bandage the wound properly to prevent infection.
Overall, every wound that bleeds and every foreign body in the pad that you cannot remove yourself belongs in the veterinary practice.
How can I support my dog?
The most important thing is that you calm yourself and your dog down. If you are in a panic yourself, this will be passed on to your four-legged friend.
Examine the paw as far as your dog will allow.
Is it visible where the bale comes off? Do you see blood or a foreign object?
Can you remove shards or splinters yourself?
Important!
If there is visible pain, be careful when handling even the most docile dog. Acute pain can lead to unexpected aggression. If you are unsure, get help or put a muzzle on your dog.
Once the loose skin of the paw pad has been treated, you should make sure that your dog cannot nibble or lick it. Otherwise, the wound will tear open further and the skin on the ball of the foot may come off completely and enlarge the wound area.
How can a bunion injury be prevented?
There are dog shoes for very sensitive paw skin or for walks in very hot or very cold areas. They protect the bales optimally against foreign objects, burns and frostbite.
But you have to get your dog used to it first. At first walking in the shoes will look pretty fun as your dog sees them as a foreign object.
After walks, regularly check your dog’s paws for foreign objects, wounds and if the pads are coming off. Even the smallest of injuries can escalate into big problems, so treat all wounds properly.
If in doubt, always take your dog to the vet and get advice there.
Conclusion
Injury to the paw, causing the skin on the pad to peel off, is not uncommon. However, it poses a problem for the dog if it restricts or hurts him when walking.
Since the bunion is under constant stress, a wound there should always be treated. Rest and wound care is usually sufficient until the thick cornea that has detached from the ball of the foot grows back.