Healthy dog paws !!

Since dogs spend so much time running, jumping, fetching and generally romping indoors and outside, is it any wonder that having healthy paws is so important for a dog's well being? A dog's paw is made up of skin, bone, tendons, ligaments, blood supply, and connective tissue. But as tough as they are, paw pads are not made of armor.

As vulnerable as a human foot, paws need to be taken care of and pampered. An owner wouldn’t walk across a hot parking lot or a snow covered field without the proper protection on their feet. A paw pad needs to be checked for a myriad of issues that should be addressed including nail length, cracked pads and foreign objects wedged in between paw pads.

Trimming

If a dog’s nails are click, click, clicking when she walks or gets snagged easily, then she is in need of being clipped. The nails should barely skim the ground. Most vets offer this service if the owner is too anxious to do it themselves or the dog is unwilling to have it done. The hair in between the pads does cause painful matting if not trimmed regularly. Comb hair out and trim it even with the pads. Check for pebbles or other debris while trimming.

Cracked Pads

Pads do crack and bleed if they get too dry. Don’t use human lotion on the dogs pads, it may soften pads too much and lead to more issues. Instead look into pad moisturizers specifically designed for a dog’s dried out paws. While rubbing in the lotion give the dog a paw massage by rubbing between the pads and up in between each toe.

Summertime Care

Dogs paws feel heat as much as human’s do on the bottom of their feet. Keep this in mind while out walking during the heat of the summer. During the summer months, exercise your dog before sunup or after sundown to avoid pad blistering and other heat-related conditions. To avoid blistering and burning, avoid walking on hot surfaces (such as parking lots or sand) If blistering or burning occurs, wash with an antibacterial soap and loosely wrap with gauze.

Wintertime Care

Wintertime presents more issues for dogs like frostbitten toes. To prevent cold weather damage to dog's paws, avoid going outside for long periods of time. Excessive exposure to cold weather could cause paw pads to dry out. This will lead to pads becoming chapped and cracking. When coming home from a daily walk, either wipe down or rinse the paws with warm water to wash away any chemical they may have picked up. Another alternative is to slather the dog’s paws with Vaseline before a walk, or wrestle the dog into canine snow boots.

Cuts and scrapes.

Occasionally dogs will cut the pad of their paw and require some first aid. Clean the cut out with an anti bacterial wash, put some anti bacterial cream on the cut and bandage the paw. Of course that is easier said than done. If the dog is unwilling to have their paw tended too, the owner should do the best they can under the circumstances.

Activity participation

Dogs thrive on participating in activities just like any other family member. We take them to the store with us, for a hike up the nearest mountain and to the seashore for the weekend with many opportunities for dogs to walk on varied terrain.

To keep those very important paws in top shape, you could err on the side of caution and inspect your dog's paws every time they come in from outside to make sure they've not picked up a stick, thorn, or bee stinger in a paw or in-between the toes.

However, if your dog suddenly starts limping, you should examine your dog’s paws immediately. Look between toes, on the top of the foot and between the pads on the bottom of the feet.

Does your dog spend an inordinate amount of time licking his feet? If so, this could be a warning sign. Dog owners need to investigate the source of the irritant to determine if there is a particular reason or location of the dog’s attention to its feet.