How to take care of your dog’s pads
Paws are probably the sweetest part of the body of our dogs. I often wonder how it is possible that in these inconspicuous-looking paws there is so much strength. Especially the bottom of the dog’s paws looks very delicate. It is good to know how to take care of the dog’s pads. Why is it so important?.
Dogs are very energetic animals. They love active spending time. It is impossible to hide that all activities are carried out with their paws. Whether running around the park, playing with a favorite toy, or not very much liked to me digging holes in the backyard garden.
All these activities the dog performs with his paws. Therefore, your task is to properly take care of this important element of your pet’s body. The paw’s pads that are most vulnerable to all kinds of damage, scratches and cuts.
Paw pads – what is it
Okay, but what are the pads really? It is impossible to hide that this is probably the most important part of the dog’s paws. Their structure allows the paws to maintain the entire body weight of the dog.
The pads come into direct contact with the ground while the dog moves. The epidermis on them is strong and thick, but it can happen that it is damaged. In such a situation, it is important to react immediately, because it is a wound that will tease the dog constantly when moving.
When dog pads are most vulnerable?
The best method of taking care of the pads of the dog’s paws is to avoid situations when they are most vulnerable to damage. Since you are certainly a responsible caregiver, I believe that most of them are already well known to you. However, if your adventure with caring for a four-legged is just beginning, I will be happy to tell you what you need to pay attention to.
1. Winter time
During low temperatures and snowfall, dog paws are particularly vulnerable. While there is nothing wrong with not too long fun in the snow, however, longer walking on white fluff can be a nuisance to dog’s paws.
Surely you have often had the opportunity to see a dog while walking on winter days alternates his paws. This is a visible sign that the ground on which he walks is much too cold for him.
In addition, during the winter, the sidewalks covered with snow and ice are sprinkled with salt. This is very annoying during daily walks with a four-legged. Salt irritates the pads of the dog’s paws very much. It can cause very severe wounds and thus cause the pet terrible pain. Therefore, during the winter we should pay special attention to how to take care of the dog’s pads.
2. Summer and hot days
Hot summer days can be really uneasy, both for us and also for our four-legged. Under the influence of very high temperatures outside, substrates such as pavement and asphalt can heat up very much.
This is especially noticeable during really nagging heat waves. Walking on such a heated substrate can cause to burn the dog’s pads. This is very dangerous for our pets.
Why you need to take care of your dog’s pads
Let’s remember that any injuries of the dog’s pads are very difficult to heal. Why? Because the dog constantly offends the sick place when moving.
After all, you will not force the dog to lie down continuously while the wounds heal. It can also be very difficult to get a dressing for pad that needs treatment.
I think that few dogs will not try to get rid of the unwanted dressing from the paw. Therefore, it is so important to know how to take care of the dog’s pads. Preventing the formation of wounds and cuts is a much better option than treating those already formed.
How to care for dog’s pads
Not every dog has the same degree of sensitivity when it comes to paw pads. Some dogs will be more durable, others less. Much depends on the breed of the dog. Dogs from the group of these typical winter will do much better during long walk on the snow. Their paws feel the cold ground much later.
Maltese, York or Chihuahua, on the other hand, will very quickly feel that the conditions during winter walks are definitely not for them.
– regular inspection of dog’s pads
First of all, you should constantly control the condition in which your dog’s pads are. This is especially important in winter or, as I mentioned earlier, during hot days.
During these periods, any, even small accidental cuts to the pad will be more painful for the dog. Whether on contact with salt or hot pavement. Therefore, it is so important that you regularly check that the dog’s pads are not cracked or too rough to the touch.
– washing paws after a walk
This is especially important during the winter, when snow-covered sidewalks are covered with sand and salt. Even if during walks you do not notice that the dog feels discomfort when walking, you should nevertheless remember to clean his pads when he returns.
Salt works slowly. Its negative effects after staying on the paws can appear even after a few hours after returning from a walk. Make sure when you cross back the threshold of the house every time you go to the park that you have cleaned your pet’s paws well.
– securing the pads
Ointments with moisturizing and oily properties, rich in vitamins, will work best for protective lubrication of the dog’s pads. Especially worth recommending are those containing vitamins A and E.
The main purpose of such an ointment is to create a protective barrier on the pet’s pads in the form of a greasy film. In this way, the dog’s paw does not come into direct contact with the unpleasant substrate of its most sensitive places.
I most recommend the choice of products typically designed for the care of dog’s pads. Not every moisturizing product created for humans can be suitable for use by dogs. In such a situation, it is worth asking for a recommendation of a veterinarian or a service of an animal products store.
– treatment of wounds and cuts
As soon as you notice that the dog’s pads have wounds, you need to act immediately. Procrastination can only make the problem worse. Dog while walking can further enlarge the wound or even contribute to the formation of infection.
In such a situation, daily walks should be kept to a minimum. So, the dog after taking care of his affairs did not have to spend time on the injuring him ground.
Take particular care of the hygiene of the dog’s paws. Try to spend more time lying down with him. This is the time when an evening on the couch under a soft dog blanket ZEN is more advisable than active joint play. Dog’s paws will need time to regenerate.
Dog blanket |ZEN grey
Why dog’s pads are so sensitive
During evolution, dogs were equipped with such paw pads to allow them to function in natural conditions. Salt found on winter sidewalks, or very hot asphalt, are a full human products. The nature of the dog did not foresee that it would operate under such conditions.
Now you know how to take care of the dog’s pads and why it is so important. Some dogs during the winter days will allow themselves to wear special shoes. However, I think we will include a small percentage of dogs in this group. Therefore, we need to make sure that the dog’s paws are in good shape.
Do you have your own ways of taking care of your dog’s pads and want to share them with me?
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