full thickness skin wounds rely on re-epithelialization with a tough keratinized epithelium derived from intact pad skin at the edge of the wound. With the superficial wounds, the tougher superficial epidermal layers are regenerated from the remaining pad epidermis. In superficial and deep abrasion and burn injuries, the goal is rapid epithelialization.
Credit: Swaim SF, Henderson RA: Small Animal Wound Management, 2nd edition, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, 1997, p. (C and D) Hemostatic forceps placed in the wound and spread to assess the depth of the wound. (B) Laceration extends the full thickness of the pad, with contamination of pad tissues and the underlying area, including the flexor tendons. Prior to bandaging, cotton pledgets may be placed in the interdigital spaces to maintain a dry environment.įigure 1: Evaluating the depth of a paw laceration (A)Pad laceration does not appear to be deep due to apposition of deep pad tissues. This is usually sufficient to dislodge debris and unattached tissue fragments from within a wound without traumatizing healthy tissue. The lavage solution is expressed through an 18-gauge hypodermic needle attached to a 35-ml syringe. They should be lavaged copiously with 0.05 percent chlorhexidine diacetate solution. These wounds should be surgically debrided to remove devitalized tissue. More severe abrasion injuries with debris embedded in the tissues may require more management. However, these wounds are generally clean and require little if any debridement or lavage. Chemical and thermal, superficial pad burn wounds may present a similar clinical picture with varying loss of epidermis and dermis.ĭogs with the more superficial abrasion injury may have tags or flaps of superficial epidermis over the wound, which should be removed. Dogs dragged behind motor vehicles have this type of injury. With full thickness skin loss, the underlying fibroadipose tissue of the pad is exposed (Photo 1).
In the more serious form, the shearing force generated between the two surfaces (pad and ground) strips paw pad epidermis and partial or full thickness dermis. The wound leaves the deeper, more sensitive layers of the epidermis exposed. These wounds are commonly observed in sporting dogs and working dogs. This can result from prolonged contact of the pad with a rough surface, during movement. The less severe form of abrasion injury results in loss of stratum corneum from a pad. Photo 1: Deep pad abrasion with re-epithelialization in process. This article will discuss management of two types of wounds commonly encountered by veterinary practitioners: paw pad abrasions and lacerations. Wound management of these injuries is directed toward preserving as much of the pad tissue as possible and keeping pressure off of the affected paw to encourage wound healing, re-epithelialization and epithelial keratinization. The canine footpad is a highly specialized tissue with specific and distinctive functions, and therefore, cannot be replaced by skin from the body. Paw pad injuries observed in dogs run the gamut from abrasions, blisters, ulcers and pressure callus formation, to burns, lacerations and avulsions accompanying distal limb degloving injuries.
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