It’s a very convincing thought that a dog’s paws are unbreakable, but actually they are very susceptible. What is walking barefooted for us is walking on bare paws for dogs. While it’s okay to walk on cool, soft terrain on bare paws, walking on hot, rough terrain harms the paws and causes injuries. Walking on other dangerous materials like chemicals and sharp objects is also harmful. Even walking on rough plants can scratch or wound a dog’s paws.
If you’re a responsible owner of a pet, then you should look for wounds and scratches in your dog’s paws regularly. You should also prevent your dog from getting injuries. Checking a dog’s paws for irregularities and injuries is good pet grooming.
- Examine your dog’s paws on a regular basis. Dogs walk on all kinds of hazardous materials without letting you know. You should look for sores and scratches. You must examine your dog’s paws regularly to see if he’s having such problems. Change in behavior can also indicate the problems of legs or paws. If your dog walks lamely, licks constantly or avoids using all his paws, then he should be taken to a vet at the earliest.
- Remove all the hazardous things from his surroundings. Broken glass, sharp objects and chemicals harms a dog’s paws. Remove all such things from your house. Remove burrs and sharp weeds from your lawn or garden as these are also harmful. Make sure that your dog’s playing and sleeping areas also don’t have such abrasive surfaces.
- Be careful when you take your dog for a walk. During summers, avoid using concrete as it gives off the heat it has absorbed, which can harm the paws. Walk instead on grassy or wooden pathways.
- Bathe the paws in warm water after he walks on snow. Your dog’s paws will remain free from harmful frostbite if they are bathed in warm water after every time he walks on ice or snow. These areas are treated with chemicals like de-icer which can be ingested by the dog if he licks his paws. Petroleum jelly can be used to protect against scratches and cracks during winters.
- Make him wear dog booties. Dog shoes or booties protect against almost all harms caused by snow, hot concrete or rough terrain. These can be had from pet stores. Do ensure that your dog becomes used to wearing them and is not able to remove them easily. These dog shoes are available in different styles and sizes. For better protection, the ones having thick sole should be used.
If you find any soreness or injury on your dog’s paws, then take it to the vet at the earliest. These problems start small but grow easily. Small wounds or sores can be taken care of at home, but it should be ensured that they’re not very serious. As preventing from any kind of harmful conditions is better, so avoid taking your dog on rough terrain and hot concrete.
