Can a dog’s torn paw pad heal on its own?

A dog’s torn paw pad may heal on its own. If the damage is not severe, just a slight scrape, the chance of self-healing is high. But if the pad is badly damaged with a deep wound and bleeding, the owner must treat it promptly.

First, put a collar on the dog to stop it licking the painful wound from frequent licking. Second, trim the fur around the wound to keep bacteria from infecting it and to make applying medicine easier.

Then rinse the pad with saline, remove any debris from inside the pad, apply iodine, and keep the pad dry. Watch the pad, and if it does not improve, take the dog to a veterinary hospital.