How can I protect my dog's paws? - Paw Talk

DorkyChantelle · #1 12-21-2005, 02:53 PM

I have a Great Dane named Charlotte (just made a picture thread about her yesterday actually). Her poor paws are always raw in the winter because of the ice in the backyard. Her paws are abnormally sensitive to begin with because she licks her back paws CONSTANTLY (has been doing this since she was a puppy, nothing has worked at getting her to stop). Right now, there's snow but the top layer is frozen so when she steps on it her paws crash through a hard layer of ice (I can imagine how painful this must be). Her paws start to swell and bleed. She's got a prescription for prednisone because she had a bacterial infection in one of her paws so this seems to help temporarily with the swelling and infection. I'd just really like to find a way to prevent more damage from happening. They sell dog booties at the pet store but I'm not sure those would work. She'd pull those off so fast, it would be pointless. Has anyone tried dog booties...and if so, how did you keep your dog from just taking them off? Also, if anyone else can suggest anything to help prevent her from cutting her paws when she goes outside, I'd really appreciate it

It doesn't seem to slow her down, but it really looks painful.

Chrisanne · #2 12-21-2005, 02:55 PM

I've never tried the booties, but in her case I probably would. Just put them on right before she goes out and take them off when she comes in. She may appreciate them.

Skycat · #3 12-21-2005, 03:19 PM

I've put booties on both my dogs (a GSD mix & a Belgian Shepherd) because their feet get so cold they will lay down in the snow and cry.

The ones I use are calls Paw Protectors and they are rubber with a fleece lining. They have velcro straps that you have to make sure are wrapped around very tight so they don't slip off accidentally, normally by the second or third time you put them on you will get them tight enough.

Fox just gets this really pained looked when I'm putting them on but once she is up and walking around in them she is fine and doesn't mind wearing them.

Sherpa on the other hand looses his mind but he is getting better, now he only looses his mind while I'm putting them on when we getting out side if he gets the crazies and starts running in circles he can kick them off so with him I have to keep him in obedience mode so he is focusing on me and not the booties.

DorkyChantelle · #4 12-21-2005, 04:05 PM

Hmm, I think I'm going to try them. Knowing her personality, I think she will just refuse to walk with them on. She's very obedient though, so I think that with enough coaxing she'll get over it. She's never worn any sort of doggy clothing or anything like that so it will be really strange for her. I'm hoping she'll get used to them when she realizes that they're helping her. I just feel so bad when I look out the window and see blood in the snow

We've even tried shoveling out a lot of the backyard (which is a pretty big undertaking here in Canada, haha) but she just goes to the part that's unshoveled. I try to break as much of the ice up as I can just so that she doesn't have to crash through it, but it's not really helping.

*sigh*

Skycat · #5 12-21-2005, 05:07 PM

Treats by the door work very well to get her motivated to move and once she realizes she can move it won't be so bad. Now do prepare to laugh your butt off, because the first time they try to walk it looks like you put scuba flippers on all four paws. Fox was kicking her paws in all directions walking to the door the first few times she wore them, now she is an old hand at it and walks normal from the start.

wellahart · #6 12-21-2005, 05:08 PM

I"m having the same problem with my golden, except I think it may be a combo of ice and salt. I try to wash his paws everytime we come in, but that isn't always possible. His one back paw is a little red and sore so i've been putting a cream on it after I wipe them off. This seems to be helping some (can't remember the name right now). I was thinking of trying the doggy booties, but everyone laughed at me! lol I may try them anyways because he loves to run in the snow but has to stop when his paws start hurting.

savepaws · #7 12-21-2005, 09:39 PM

Bag Balm is suppose to soothe the paw pads.

http://www.bagbalm.com/

Our walmart has it in the pet section.

Maybe you could get booties to protect her feet, and bag balm to soothe them.

Ice melt is bad for their paws....also bad if the lick their feet and ingest it.

DorkyChantelle · #8 12-21-2005, 10:01 PM

We don't use any salt or ice melt in the backyard, so the only place she would get that would be on walks (we wash her paws off when she returns from walks). It's not really the pads of her feet, it's the sides. The sides swell out quite badly and bleed and weep. We've got an Elizabethan collar for her but when she has it on, she gets really depressed (or at least it seems that way). I'm definitely going to try the booties. She'll learn to like them (hopefully)...It's horrible how long our winters are too

savepaws · #9 12-21-2005, 10:12 PM

Sorry, I should have specified....my comment about the ice was directed to Wellahart's post about ice.

Bag balm could still be helpful. It isn't just for paws, it is for all cuts and scratches.

wellahart · #10 12-21-2005, 10:27 PM

thanks savepaws. Maybe I'll try that if it doesn't seem to get better. His paws aren't bleeding...just red and sore. He bit the fur of the inside of the pads. After the last bad snow they put a lot of salt on our sidewalks so I wipe his paws down when we come in, but sometimes he doesn't like to cooperate so I don't get them as well as I would like. I have to use a washcloth. He won't even get near the tub. This never happened when he had a backyard he could go into.

Zouave · #11 12-21-2005, 11:30 PM

Isn't their a wax that covers and protects paws when they go outside?

wellahart · #12 12-21-2005, 11:37 PM

I know there is some kind of stuff that is supposed to help their paws. I'm gonna look at petsmart or where ever I go on Friday.
I looked closely at his back paw tonight and it's looking much better. Not bright red like it was before. I'm using Sergeant's Antimicrobial wound cream on it. It works really well. Supposedly it gets kills topical bacteria, fungus, and viral infections. Also claims to eliminate ringworm! lol This stuff is pretty cheap at Wal-mart and I use it on all his cuts and hot spots.