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| | I have a beautiful 16 month old sheepie who is a bundle of energy! She loves to go to the park and run like the wind! Behind the fence, she loves to race cars as they drive by on the road, barking at them as they turn the corner. It's hysterical! My concern is, wheb she tends to run at the park, she comes home with soar footpads, sometimes even open blisters, or wounds. She tends to take it easy and lick them a lot so I know they are bothering her. Sometimes I will put some kid's socks on her to prevent further licking and they seem to heal within a day or two. What could be causing this? Most of the park is grass , with only a small section that she sometimes runs across that is pavement. | |
| Goodness she has senstitive pads. I suspect it is that crazed running along the fence and sharp stones when she slides. You need to be walking her over rougher land to toughen her footsies. Walk, not run. Concrete, not carpet, gravel not tile. Over time her feet will toughen. In mean time you may need to get some boots for her for those trips to the dog park.
There are materials that you put on the pads as well, but I'd rather see a natural toughing since she's not mushing across Alaska or sliding on the green carpet at Madison Square Garden.
She may be slipping, check for hair under her foot, trim away.
I'm trying to figure if possible grass allergies could play here and not coming up with a cause and effect.
Another thought is a fungal infection, but since the dog's feet heal between visits, I'm leaning away from that.
Finally licking is not good, it extends healing time by causing continued irritation. If there's any way to keep her from licking her feet (good luck there) do so. It will mean you have to wash her feet perhaps with a proidone-iodine wash or other antiseptic. | | Barkley also had this problem, especially with rough play. It seemed for awhile they were breaking open very often. It does get better with age. WE bought a product (kind of like a glue) that you spray on the paw pads. This worked especially well in the winter time with all of the salt on the sidewalks. Good luck. Poor puppy. | | What exactly is this glue like stuff you are talking about and do you use it to help seal the cracks on the pads until they heal? We have a 15 mon old and it seams she is constantly getting cracks on her pads. The vet suggested that I give her fish oil for her coat and to help build up the tolerance lever from the inside out, but it will take several months. She is walked on all types of surfaces every day. | One product is called Musher's Secret. It's a waxy like product that seals the paws: http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/03/tenlapse.html
also a shea butter: http://grooming.petedge.com/ikaria-Shea-Butter-Paw-Creme-SB357.pro
a cream: http://www.cherrybrook.com/index.cfm/a/catalog.prodshow/vid/431205/catid/252/vname/NaturVet_Tender_Foot
It's frustrating when it starts especially if you suspect a fungus is involved. When it's happened here, the problem was trying to keep the stuff on the paws and not the immediately transferred to the dog's tongue. | A product I use (as a preventative) is called Pad Guard by Trophy Animal Healthcare. The main ingredients are benzoin and aloe. You spray it on with them laying down, let the pads dry (hence the laying down) and then you are ready to go. It goes on wet, then gets tacky, then dries to a protective coating. It says for use when "soft, tender, sore canine foot pads exist".
I have used other products with the same ingredients, just different brands. |
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