Zimba had his first week at work last week with OH. He had a bit of an accident where OH pulled a door over Zim's paw, it bled quite a bit. It was the bit on top of his paw that meets his nail. He was fine after it stopped bleeding.

That was last Thursday and Zim is still licking it often, he actually woke me up last night with the noise.

It it a natural way for him to heal it or can I get something to stop him liking it?

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http://www.furbuddiesphotography.co.uk

Anti-lick strips are for stopping dogs licking wounds, depending on the type of wound sometimes it can just be applied directly over it, others you need a light dressing first, details are on the link as to wether you need a dressing or not. Think you may be able to get them in pets at home.
Anti-Lick Strip

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It is natural for a dog to lick but there is no magic substance in canine saliva that aids recovery more effectively than an antibacterial cream and dressing.

To prevent the dog picking it off use the collar of shame.

Wound licking - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cautionary tale: Bear licked his broken dew claw to such an extent that he caused an infection (more likely an infection tracked up as it was like a bird's beak, broken all the wa up). Anyhow, nearly £500 later, he's wearing his buster collar!



Bear had ripped a pad off and Brig was obsessing over sore man bits. Super fun! My shins were black and blue!

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Transplanted Geordie
RIP Jake, my best dog. 10.8.10
RIP Boomerang, beautiful horse. 27.5.08

Thought I had gone boss eyed then and seeing double, poor you and them I just bet it is fun with two of them and those things on in your house at the moment.

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It was last Christmas. I think Bear is going to be like Brig, accident prone. Over the years, Brig has run into thorns, had eye ulcers, ripped open his belly, split open a wound where he had a lump removed, ripped off a pad, cut near his eye, loads of stuff. We have a huge med kit!

It's a scream when they're trying to bash through the dog flap! We just have the back door permanently open, bloody freezing constantly!

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Transplanted Geordie
RIP Jake, my best dog. 10.8.10
RIP Boomerang, beautiful horse. 27.5.08

Thankyou, he seems better this morning. I think I'll try the anti lick strips first. The collar of shame really distresses him.

Thankyou

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http://www.furbuddiesphotography.co.uk

Only because it has never been used when he is calm & well, like anything with a dog if you introduce something new and "scary" when the dog is calm and relaxed (during our grooming sessions I find the best) then the dog can be trained to accept the new thing just like anything else.

As ever bring the new thing and place so the dog can smell it.

Give a treat when the dog smells it.

We did this when trimming the new pup's paw fur with an electric trimmer a few weeks ago. First let him smell the trimmer. While combing him we rubbed the trimmer on his fur - again let him smell it. Held it in front of him and turned on for a moment - dog surprise - but let sniff again - give treat - buzzzzz - sniff - give treat. etc.

Then I mock-use the trimmer on me for just a moment - I get a treat (wife mock feeds me cooked liver) - repeat - pup watches the liver being fed after the buzzing sound.

Buzzz next to paw - off - sniff - treat.

Within five minutes we had trimmed the fur between his toes and fed him breakfast at the same time.

When a bit older we will do the same as we did with the other dogs using a mock Elizabeth collar (we made, or rather one of the kids made a collar out of stiff paper as a training aid). Again allow to sniff the new thing, place on the dog while giving a treat. Then groom, big dog will lay and take a massage - he zones out completely and after a few more sniffs when he was a pup accepted that the collar was put on during massage time - he soon ignored it.

So a bit late to go through this training in your case today - but like anything new you want your dog to do or not do: you need to break down the process into blocks the dog can step through, assimilate and accept.

When it becomes "normal" then the dog will just be assured that what is happening is not out of the ordinary.

All our dogs have learnt from day one that we can carry out inspections of paws ears mouth etc when they are placed on a table**, they are calm and do not struggle. This is taught so that when they do go to the vet (seldom) that being placed on a table and inspected in all the places that are likely to be the site of a problem that the process feels normal and familiar.

It's not rocket science is it - just common sense for training a dog to expect what will happen.

** This "submit for inspection" is also part of normal walkies, at any point of a walk they might be called back for inspection, it's normal, so when there is a problem like a thorn or one of the dogs seems to limp being called for inspection is not scary or new - it's just the master doing what he always does - therefore reassuring just like a short groom session.