Pad injuries. Sore feet.

A grim day for the Olympic View Soccer Team. Just 3 days after finally getting their new ball -- they killed the old one last March -- Al is on the Disabled List with front pad blisters. They're almost 3/8" diameter, right at the front corner of the forefoot main pads, a spot folded out of sight when you look at the unopened pad. Back feet thrusters are OK except for some thin toe pads, so I think it's fast braking and turning that does this. We play on a paved surface, usually with no problem. The first day was in the rain, and so was the last time he got a great big flapper, so wet pavement might be significant. Slipping?
Gwynnie never has this problem. Is Al a tenderfoot? I think it's his ferocious style of play. He accelerates like a rocket, frantically athletic. Give Al a soccer ball, and it's frapping on speed. Gwynnie is sedate by comparison. Feeding softball passes to Gwynnie past Big Al the Ball Hog is a challenge.
I washed his pads by having him stand in a small wash basin with warm water and soap. Final cleanse with Betadine. I'll report on how fast this heals.
Note where the damage is. This is from (wet?) pavement. In the snow, it was different, he was sore on the soft skin right behind the toe pads, and I think the loose sand on the desert roads did the same last March.

If anybody has experience dressing this sort of problem in the backcountry, when you still have to walk to get out, I'd appreciate your suggestions. This is what I bought the medium Pawz for, but I wonder if they would hold a dressing in place. I have some of this sticky gauze wrap, but haven't practiced with it. I plan to try Musher's Secret also.

With their key starter on the bench, dejected fans hope that Gwynnie can fill in.
Maybe it's time for some easy obedience drills.
The team in the locker room:

Rear feet mostly OK (thin toe pads):

Front corner of front main pads blistered:

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Permalink Reply by John Wolff on November 10, 2011 at 12:32pm

Actually, my point is that these 11/2011 pad injuries were inconsequential and unnoticed; I was only looking at their feet to trim claws. Al's earlier big "flapper" blisters really made him limp when they broke, but healed totally in a week.

They play soccer on pavement all the time with no apparent trouble.

Loose sand, however, gets in between the pads and stops them after a day or two. Roads or beach. Running in certain snow conditions can do this too. You can see red inflamed skin at the edges of the pads.

Occasional "poaching" by dogs on the grass and paved playfields has been quietly tolerated in our neighborhood. That could change if people abuse the tacit privilege -- I found a big fresh turd right in the playground area last weekend.

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Permalink Reply by Kathy Losacco on November 10, 2011 at 10:48am

Vetrap

http:///solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/AC/animal-care/product...

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Permalink Reply by Beauregard & Genevieve on November 10, 2011 at 5:01pm

Aww that looks rough! I usually treat mine with bag balm, it's a medicated vasiline but that's for minor abrasions. Maybe neosporin.

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Permalink Reply by Teresa Gilpin on November 10, 2011 at 5:26pm

Ow! He must really play hard!

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Permalink Reply by steve smith on November 10, 2011 at 9:30pm

OUCH That looks like it hurts. Does the ball have their name on it??? In that picture I had to laugh because of the way the babies are laying, it looks like one corgi with two heads.