Have you noticed that your dog’s paws have dry and cracked pads? There are several remedies you can take:
First, does the dog seem to be in pain? Are the pads bleeding?
If the cracked pads are bleeding or inflamed they should be bandaged and rested. If there seems to be a major infection you should see your vet, but for minor inflammation you can apply a triple-action antibiotic cream and bandage the foot. The easiest bandage to use is a bit of gauze and a dog boot. If you do not have a dog boot available you can use a children’s or infants sock to cover the dog’s paw and secure it with vetwrap or medical tape. (Wrapping the foot will make the dog limp more, but wrapping the ankle only will allow the dog to use its cracked pad paw normally) If you dog will be walking in wet or snowy conditions you may want to use double layers of socks with a plastic baggie in the middle to keep the cracked pad dry.
If the dog does not seem to be in pain from the cracked paw then you should continue your routine of walks and training as normal. Just be sure the cracked pad on the injured paw stays clean. You should apply an ointment such as “Bag Balm” to the paw once or twice a day to help the cracked pad heal. Be careful to not continue to apply the ointment after the cracked pad heals- it’s much better in the long run for your dog to have tough pads than soft, tender ones.
In winter conditions where your dog may be walking on salted concrete you should be extra careful about cracked pads. If the cracks in the pads are minor you can apply petroleum jelly to prevent ice and snow from balling up in between the dog’s pads and refreezing. Dogs with badly cracked pads should not walk on snow or ice in winter without boots or protection- as the salt from sidewalks or roads can be agony in a deep crack. Always rinse your dog’s paws in warm water after a winter walk, as the chemicals used in ice melting products can be poison if your dog licks them off his feet.
Dogs pads heal quickly and with a little bit of TLC your dog’s paws can be healthy within a few weeks.
