My new rescue dog's paw pads look worn. Is this normal or urgent?

Question

A week ago we rescued & adopted a dog left to die in the river. We don't know how old he is but he doesn't have any wounds or fleas, he is just very skinny. He is very active, poop w/ maggots once in his 1st day w/us but poop is ok now & he eat well. We cannot bring him to vet until this sat. We just noticed his paw pads are different from our dogs, is this normal, or part of aging (he doesn't look a senior dog tho) or does this need urgent medical attention? Thank you so much in advance ☺. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | unneutered

Kevin Sanada, DVM · Accepted Answer

It's great to see that you are rescuing this poor dog! He actually looks like he is a young dog - just has been neglected. I'm sure the vet will help you to make this dog look young again. He does look rather thin and the maggots you see in the poop are actually little worms. The vet will advise good medication to clear the worms and this will help him gain weight. His skin also looks unhealthy, so the vet should advise on a shampoo and possible treatment for mange. You are right to note that the paw pads are abnormal. They have been somewhat worn down. We often see this with dogs who run on the road for a long time or may have struggled to climb up something. This does not need urgent attention and should heal well within a week or two. I hope this helps.

My new rescue dog's paw pads look worn. Is this normal or urgent?

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