Vet or no? Small cut on pad

[soddinghormones]

Dpup has managed to get a small cut on a pad on one of his back paws

He's not limping but is licking it a bit

Should I go to the vet or is there some DIY first aid I could use

I'm not sure if I should be taking him for a walk as it's going to get filthy ...

WWYD?

I would just leave it and let him lick it. Salt water is good to clean it and then let him lick. Don't exercise for a couple of days and he will soon be fine. Mine cut their paws to shreds occasionally (bad lurchers!) and they have never seen the vet for this.

Poor Fitz.

Basically it depends how deep it is and whether it's on an articulated part of the foot (ie does it open up as he walks).

For less serious cuts (as you know Pip has a lot of these ) I tend to clean the area up with an antiseptic wipe or something gentle like Savlon and leave them to air dry. If you do use an antiseptic, make sure the last rinse is with cooled boiled or salt-water, as you don't want him licking and ingesting it. I know quite a few other Lurcher owners use Hibiscrub, but it can be quite astringent and dry the skin.

Incapinka mine are Lurchers too. You just get used to dealing with skin scrapes and cuts with them don't you? Pip is rarely without a nick or cut of somesort and has already had three more serious injuries that required veterinary treatment, despite being only 1 year old - he has a bit of an issue with being super fast, having dodgy brakes ... and no common sense.

Thanks both - it really is very small and he's not upset by me examining it so I think I'll hold off from the vet for a while - its v hard not to be all PFP about him but there's no way I'd be taking the dc to the GP for anything like that

He's been a bit in the wars today as he's also got a tiny graze on the outer corner of his eye - he was having a very energetic game this morning with a lovely little lurcher puppy with lots of chasing, wrestling and rolling over and over going on so I suspect that's the root cause

We've not gone for a walk this evening and he's going a bit bonkers

Is he a lurcher? They are completely bonkers! And the biggest babies ever! Mine have cut their paws really badly before and ripped dew claws etc but apart from cleaning it I can't see what a vet can actually do apart from charge you lots of money! Mine sulk for a couple of days and then all fine again. Warm salty water is your friend. Cheap and safe for them to lick.

Moosemama - our older lurcher had a terrible first year with many trips to the vets and a couple of major ops to stitch her back together but since then things have calmed down so hopefully it will for you too!!

Don't do what I did and rush her to the vet only to be charged £35 to be told to keep it clean
You could try putting a sock over the paw and taping it so you can walk but after thirty mind of trying this with my pup it proved to be a deal breaker....

Oops, sorry for the Lurcher sharing their own special brand of Lurchery chaos, panic and disorder with poor old Fitz. They really do play rough when they get going, my two are the soppiest things ever, but sound - and look - like they might be trying to kill each other when they play. Couple that with the fact they have such thin skin and often very little fur and it's a recipe for constant injury.

I know of other Lurcher owners who have been taught to glue their own dogs' lacerations, as they'd be permanently at the vets otherwise.

Pip has had us convinced he's broken a leg - or two - a couple of times with his incredible capacity for screaming when injured. Oddly though, the time he needed his side stapled he didn't seem to notice he'd ripped at least an inch square of flesh off his ribcage.

Our other lad is far more scruffy and thick coated and is also part Border Collie, so has more brain and less potential for injury.

Fingers crossed Pip grows out of his accident prone stage soon, like your girl did. Realistically though, he's still such a loopy pup I think it will be a while yet.