Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Calm the dog down
• Part 2 of 3: Removing a splinter
• Part 3 of 3: Preventing Injuries to Your Dog's Paws
• Warnings
• What do you need

Dogs are active animals that love to play outdoors, so they often have thorns and splinters in their paws. In this case, your pet may begin to limp, or will generally avoid standing on the injured paw. Although a splinter in the paw is quite painful for the animal, it is usually not difficult to remove it. If the splinter is removed correctly and the wound is treated, the animal's paw will fully recover.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Calm the dog down

1. 1 Pet your dog in a soothing, gentle voice. Perhaps the animal will be in severe pain and at first will not understand that you are trying to help him. Therefore, the first step is to calm the dog down, and only then examine the wound and take further action. Pat your pet in a favorite spot for a few minutes to help him relax. When the dog has calmed down, you can start removing the splinter.
2. 2 Give your dog a treat. While you are examining the wound, you can treat your pet to something tasty if necessary. This will distract your dog and allow you to provide the necessary first aid without interruption.To do this, you need a treat that will absorb all of your pet's attention for a while.
   • Cookies for dogs (such as a biscuit with milk additive). Most dogs are quick to handle such a biscuit, even if it is relatively large, so this treat is not very suitable for this situation.
   • Rawhide bone. Dogs chew on such bones for a long time, so this treat will distract your pet's attention for a long time. Although rawhide bone can be dangerous to the animal if it crumbles into small pieces, this is irrelevant in this situation, as you will most likely complete the wound before the dog has time to gnaw the bone.
   • A toy filled with peanut butter. Many dog ​​toys are hollow on the inside and can hold some kind of treat like peanut butter. This will take your pet's attention for a long time, as he will try to lick all the paste from the inside.
3. 3 Ask someone to hold the dog. Examining the wound and removing the splinter can hurt the animal and it may try to escape. It will be much more convenient if someone can help you hold the dog.
   • There are various ways to keep your dog in place without hurting him. The exact method depends on the location of the splinter and the position in which you want to fix the animal. Here you will find descriptions and illustrations of the various methods you can use to keep your dog in place.
   • Remember that when limiting your dog's mobility, it is most important to control its mouth. Even if your pet is friendly and has never bitten before, pain and fear can cause aggression in any animal. Your dog may simply bite you reflexively when you touch the wound on its paw. To prevent this, it is necessary to keep the dog's mouth closed (this can be done by your helper or, in his absence, you, using one hand).
   • When holding the dog, do not exert too much effort if it does not resist. If the animal starts to escape, apply bOTry harder and loosen your grip again when the dog has calmed down. This will make it clear to your pet that you are not going to use force if he behaves calmly.
4. 4 Place a muzzle on your dog if necessary. Sometimes animals react too negatively to limitation of their mobility, especially if they are in pain. This reaction can be dangerous for you and those around you, as the dog may bite someone in a panic. If your dog is actively pulling away and behaving very aggressively, put on a muzzle.
   • If you don't have a muzzle close at hand, you can wrap the animal's jaws with gauze or other lightweight cloth, leaving the nose open. You can find more information on how to replace the muzzle here.
5. 5 If the dog's behavior becomes uncontrollable, refrain from further action. An animal in severe pain can attack you. If you are unable to control the dog, do not try to restrain it, otherwise you can harm both it and yourself. Instead, just let the dog go and wait to see if it calms down on its own. In the meantime, you can call your veterinarian for advice.

Part 2 of 3: Removing a splinter

1. 1 Locate the splinter. Perhaps you can easily determine which paw the splinter has hit, since the animal will constantly keep it suspended, but besides this, it is necessary to determine the exact place of the splinter hit. Having securely restrained the dog's mobility, inspect the injured paw. Use a magnifier and flashlight if necessary.
   • If the splinter cannot be found immediately, check the gaps between your fingers. Foreign object can get there too.
2. 2 Wash the wound with antibacterial soap and warm water. Infection should be avoided in the dog's paw. The infection will delay wound healing and may result in the need to visit your veterinarian several more times. Once the splinter is located, wash the area around it with warm water and soap.This will reduce the chance of infection, and the warm water will soften the skin, making it easier to remove the splinter.
3. 3 Sterilize the tweezers. Before removing the splinter, you must thoroughly clean the tweezers you are using. Rubbing it with rubbing alcohol will kill bacteria and prevent infection.
4. 4 Pull out the splinter. Grasp the splinter securely with tweezers as close to the animal's skin as possible. Then remove the splinter. Although the quick pulling of the splinter causes pain, it is short-lived, and the animal does not have time to be frightened.
5. 5 Rinse the wound again. After the splinter has been removed, the wound should be rinsed again to reduce the chance of infection. And this time, you can use soap and warm water, or use another antibacterial agent, such as Betadine.
6. 6 If the wound is bleeding, rewind it. Small puncture wounds stop bleeding quite quickly, so dressing may not be necessary. However, if the wound is relatively large and continues to bleed, rewind the leg with gauze.
   • Dry the wound first. Dry the paw before applying the bandage, as the humid environment encourages bacterial growth.
   • Place a sterile gauze pad over the wound.
   • Rewind the paw with a non-sticky gauze bandage. Start at the toes, working your way to the bottom of the animal's ankle.
   • Apply an adhesive plaster to the bandage. Wrap the bandage around the bandage, no more than 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) to the edge of the gauze band; this will hold the bandage in place.
7. 7 Visit your veterinarian if necessary. If you have any difficulty in removing a splinter, dressing a wound, stopping bleeding, or simply in doubt, contact your veterinarian. Make an appointment with your doctor - he will examine the wound and take all the necessary measures.
8. 8 Watch for possible signs of infection. After removing the splinter, observe your pet closely for at least a week. Take your dog to your veterinarian if you experience any of the following symptoms:
   • Redness or swelling around the wound.
   • Purulent discharge from the wound.
   • Hot skin at or around the wound site.
   • If the dog, judging by the behavior, is experiencing severe pain: for example, the animal suddenly begins to limp or tries not to lower the injured paw to the ground.

Part 3 of 3: Preventing Injuries to Your Dog's Paws

1. 1 Trim your animal's nails regularly. Long claws can easily get stuck somewhere, break or break out of the paw. Such lesions are quite painful for the dog and can cause infection. To prevent them, monitor the length of your pet's claws, periodically shortening them. Trim-your-dog's article tells you how to do this. A veterinarian can also trim the claws of an animal during routine examinations, just ask him about it.
2. 2 Check your dog's paws regularly. Your pet's paw pads are very stressed, extremely delicate and prone to damage. Pay attention to possible cuts, cracks, and other damage. Even a small wound can grow larger over time, so if you find any damage, see your veterinarian before it takes on a more serious form.
3. 3 Purchase safety shoes for your pet. There are several brands of footwear designed to protect dog paws. This is especially true if you live in fairly rugged terrain, or if your pet has repeatedly injured its paws in the past. You can check with your veterinarian, or ask your local pet store.
4. 4 Keep your front lawn clean. Of course, you cannot avoid all sharp objects when walking your dog outside, but you can at least secure your own lawn. Clear the area around your home from sharp objects such as glass shards, nails, screws, and so on that could harm your dog. This will reduce the likelihood of injury to your pet.

Warnings

• Removing a splinter is quite painful for a dog. It may be difficult for you to hurt your pet, but you must remember that this is done for his own good.

What do you need

• Antibacterial soap
• Warm water
• Towel
• Blunt scissors
• Magnifier
• Pocket flashlight
• Tweezers
• Rubbing alcohol
• Antibacterial ointment
• Bandage
• Adhesive plaster