- 1). Spread each of the dog's toes. Place an amount of cotton padding between each toe that is sufficient to keep the toes from touching each other. This will vary for each dog, depending upon the size and length of the dog's toes. Cotton padding is similar to cotton balls, and can be obtained at most local pharmacies.
- 2). Restrain the dog. Enlist the help of a friend to position the dog with the broken paw facing you, easily accessible.
- 3). Place "stirrups" made from medical tape with the sticky side facing out, against the entire length of the dog's affected leg. The stirrups should be double the length of the dog's leg so that the tape can be folded over the bandage after it is wrapped to keep it in place.
- 4). Wrap cotton wool padding around the broken toe, the paw and as far up the leg as possible, preferably up to the hip. Unroll the cotton wool padding around the appendage as you work, taking extra care to avoid uneven spots in the padding. Apply extra padding around the hock or elbow where there is more muscle than fat; this protects your dog's skin from chafing or discomfort that may occur.
- 5). Use stretchy gauze bandage to apply another layer of wrapping around the leg. Make sure to end the bandage as high up on the leg as possible. Don't apply overt pressure. Wrap any areas that bulge outwards. This helps the cotton wool conform to the area. Leave several toes, excluding the broken one, available to view. This ensures you can monitor the toes for circulation by observing the color, warmth and sensitivity of the toes.
- 6). Add another layer of cotton wool around the limb for more padding. Add another layer of stretchy gauze bandage. Wrapping the entire leg is necessary to keep a dog from bearing weight on a broken toe as well as to keep the bandage in place.
- 7). Fold the medical-tape stirrups over the bandage to ensure that no slipping occurs. The pieces of tape should meet just under the bottom of the dog's paw.
- 8). Apply a layer of water-resistant bandaging, such as VetWrap or PetFlex Bandage Wrap. Water- resistant bandaging can be obtained from pet stores, veterinarian offices and animal-supply catalogs. In an extreme emergency situation where no water-resistant bandaging is available, a thin layer of electrical tape or duct tape can be used.
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