Maggie Mae is sporting a bright purple bootie today to keep her from licking at a sore paw. We thought we would take this opportunity to share our tip to keep your own dog from licking a paw.
Ed spotted a little hot spot on the top of Maggie Mae's paw. If allowed to lick it, she'll turn that small spot into an infected foot.
The great team at Back Bay Veterinary Hospital on Newbury Street taught us how to deal with hot spots, and we will head there for professional care if this does not clear up quickly or if Maggie shows any signs of fever or infection.
Today we shaved off the surrounding fur, cleaned the paw with antiseptic and applied an antibiotic ointment with a bit of gauze and a wrap of a special pet bandage that clings to itself.
We topped that with one of her vast collection of boots that did not hold up to outdoor use. While I can't recommend this model to protect paws from salt in winter, I do find them useful for first aid protection.
We recommend that you check with your vet before trying any unfamiliar treatment for your dog. We also recommend that you buy or compile a good pet first aid kit . *******
******While many of the items in a human first aid kit can be used for a pet, there are a few specialized goods – like a fast read rectal thermometer and special bandage for fur covered skin– that you might need.Here are a few items that come in handy around here for pet first aid. As always, we recommend only items we use ourselves or that have been highly recommended by someone we trust.
