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My dog's paw pad is peeling after playing outside. Is it serious?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

I was just playing fetch with my dog outside on a dirt area. It looks like the middle part of his paw pad started peeling off. It doesn’t seem to bother him much, if at all.

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on June 18th, 2020

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about your dog. Thank you also for providing the pictures, they are very helpful. That has really peeled back, and likely will need to be removed. I would not try to remove it yourself, it could hurt him and he may bite in pain. I'd take him into a vet now to get this part of his pad removed, to get pain medication, and to get antibiotics. I hope this helps!

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2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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