# Stitched paw pad healing time



## Widows Son (Jun 9, 2013)

Anybody have any timeline on a stitched main paw pad time to heal? Three stitches in main pad on front foot. Dying to get back training but want best for pup. Vet has paw wrapped and will look under wrap tomorrow to check progress. Pup is on anti biotics for 7 days as precaution. Pup will be one year old on Sept 15 and is surprisingly taking the time off ok. Pup is 79 lbs and run everyday so in great shape. He is worked on varied terrain and have been trying to keep his feet in good shape by doing this but caught an un expected sharp object after water session on the way back to truck. Also thinking maybe tuff foot or similar product in future to toughen his feet. Have used verticyn in past to treat minor pad injuries but this one was due for the $500 vet visit. Cut was not super deep but slightly jagged with small piece of actual pad missing about the size of a grain of rice.


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## Sharon Potter (Feb 29, 2004)

What does your veterinarian say?


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## uplandbird (Mar 21, 2013)

At least 7 - 14 days is normal healing time for sutured area but because its the paw, maybe longer. Vet will have a better handle on time when bandage removed.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner


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## Widows Son (Jun 9, 2013)

Sharon Potter said:


> What does your veterinarian say?


Vet is saying stitches out in 7-10 days.


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## Golden Gibby (Jun 27, 2011)

We had a stitched pad a couple of years ago, it was a couple of weeks off after that. Then careful of the terrain (mainly mowed grass areas) for about a week to be safe.


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## Hunt'EmUp (Sep 30, 2010)

There's a thread on here somewhere with a really nasty sown up pad story, I believe it was 1mt to heal completely but that dog cut through all the paw layers up to the bone. I've never had one stitched but I have had several that throw pads, basically breaking-shedding the thick layer of pad lining. Those usually take a week to heal completely. But after about a day I wrap them and duct/tape a Kevlar boot on, and go back to training. You might be able to cut some time with a boot, but you wouldn't want the stitches to break either.


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## Blklab (Aug 1, 2003)

Last time I had this I think I gave it at least another week after stitches removed. Then slowly back. I didn't want to take a step back and go a few more weeks. Then again I always error on the cautious side.


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## jackh (Oct 14, 2010)

My girl cut her foot, I think on glass underwater, while training this summer. Sliced open a rear pad and up on top of the toe, I think she had 6 stitches. Vet initially told me 3 weeks, sent us home with a soft fabric cone and the foot wrapped. Soft cone wasn't worth a damn, she chewed the bandages off constantly even with the bitter apple spray. She pulled half her stitches out while I was in the shower one morning, so that slowed things down some. Switched to the clear plastic cone, but she could angle her body and stick that foot inside the cone. The vet took the wrap off about 14 days after the initial injury, she had a few bandage sores from the foot being wrapped and not using it. One of these bothered her so much that she chewed her center pad off overnight, so we started all over with a different pad. I ended up getting a cage type muzzle that she wore 24/7 until all the injuries healed. I think the whole process was 5 or 6 weeks. It was a nightmare and very expensive.


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## jackh (Oct 14, 2010)

Initial cut where she pulled half her stitches out.









Center pad that she chewed off when a bandage sore itched. You can see that the toe pad was almost completely healed when she did this, and it had only been about 14 or 15 days IIRC. Just start out with a cage muzzle and don't take any chances.


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## copterdoc (Mar 26, 2006)

jackh said:


> .......Soft cone wasn't worth a damn.......Switched to the clear plastic cone, but she could angle her body and stick that foot inside the cone.......


 It's the early on bandanna exposure that conditions that kind of behavior.

It's common in Goldens.


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## jackh (Oct 14, 2010)

copterdoc said:


> It's the early on bandanna exposure that conditions that kind of behavior.
> 
> It's common in Goldens.


No idea what you are talking about.


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## Swampcollie (Jan 16, 2003)

Been there done that. Three to four weeks before running on it. If you push too soon the dog could break it open again and you would be back to square one.


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## Mike Tome (Jul 22, 2004)

See what your vet says and then add a week or so to that unless the vet fully understands that your dog is a field dog. I have my vet say I could resume "normal" activities 3 days after he trimmed Deuce's toenail down to a bloody nub when he shattered it last spring. We went out to train after 4 days with the nub well scabbed over.... needless to say after one retrieve at full speed (this dog doesn't know slow) the toe nail was bleeding profusely.

While it is healing fully think about getting some protective dog boots. Put some gauze over the wound, then vet wrap, then slide the foot into the dog boot. Take some video of you dog as they get used to wearing the boot because it is hilarious to watch them walk until they get used to the feeling of wearing a boot.


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