Bloody paws

[stacwase]

I posted this in Dog Health, but I don't think people go there very often.

Any ideas what to do about cracked, bloody paw pads?? The weather is extremely cold here (down to 22 below without wind chill) and the ice, snow, and cold have caused Jake's paws to crack.

We're thinking about picking up some baby booties for him to wear when he goes outside, do you think that will work?

We'd buy him boots but if the booties would work that would be better. That way we could afford to get him more when he loses them!

Also we're thinking of putting triple antibiotic ointment on the cracks to make them heal. That shouldn't hurt him, should it?

Edit: Here's Jake's picture with his new booties on. I got some diaper rash medicine and put it on the big cracks. He doesn't even seem to mind the booties! It took him a couple of minutes to get used to them, though.

[DogLover9501]

Yes! Gold Bond Powder is great for this, dogs paws get like that usually from the cold or from the salt on the ice/snow, and if you dont treat it they will do it all the time(it's the same as a nail biting habbit) my cousins pitbull had that problem...

[stacwase]

Thanks for the Gold Bond suggestion. Do you just put in on then cover with booties?

[DogLover9501]

No actually its a bit messy you just need to puff some power over the paws, and then make them stay still for a bit, maybe keep them off carpet until it sinks in. They have pores under the pads and they are probably just getting dry with the weather, this works really well, with Targa (my cousins pitbulls) his paw looked better in just a week or so!

[Glacier]

I use booties on a couple of my dogs who have paw problems, plus I coat their paws in vaseline before a run. It keeps the snow from sticking and reduces the problems.

Do you have a feed supply store near you? There is a product called Bag Balm--it's actually made for cow udders, but it amazing stuff. Works on human hands and dog paws. Great for fixing cracks!

[stacwase]

I think the diaper rash stuff I got is the same as Bag Balm. It's called Balmex or something like that. It feels like Bag Balm, so hopefully it will help.

Poor Jakey! He's just so miserable. He gets too hot in the house, with his big thick winter coat. So he lays by the back door, trying to soak up the draft. He constantly barks to be let out, and stays out as long as he can then comes back in with bloody paws. His arthritis hurts, too. Winter's a hard time for him.

He's only 7 - you'd think he was an old dog or something!

[Jack's Mom]

Jack never had bloody pads but his feet would get so cold, he would only stay outside for a few minutes. At Pet Co. last year, we bought him boots that have a rubber bottom and velcro to keep them on. Whenever we go outside to walk I put them on him and he could go for hours!

The boots keep his feet warm and dry and he actually gets excited when I get them out -- he knows he's going out to play in the snow! Once you get the pads back to normal maybe buy some of these to prevent them from getting bad again.

[tatsxxx11]

My Cody, (Husky x) loves being outdoors all day in the winter too and has suffered at times from cracked/bleeding paws. I too use Bag Balm and put on an extra helping at night along with cotton booties. I'll have to try the Gold Bond, too! Hope Jakes pawsies feel better soon!!!

[stacwase]

I'll have to get the bag balm - I just realized it's not the same as Balmex. Maybe I could use some medical tape to get him to keep the booties on, until he gets used to them. He figured out how to get them off, LOL.

[tatsxxx11]

I sneak them on when she's sleeping and put some paper tape around them to keep them on

[wolf_Q]

Nebo's paws have never been bloody, but they get kind of hard and scratchy feeling. We have this stuff at work that I put on his paws about once a month, it seems to work well.

http://www.activek9.com/to-0201.html

[stacwase]

I'll try the paper tape thing!

Thanks, Wolf-Q, for the link. I saved it to my "favorites". If this stuff doesn't work then I'll send off for some of that. It does look good.

[ramanth]

At our dog park meeting the other night, a woman said she uses 'Mushers Secret' on her huskies pads to keep them from getting cracked and preventing ice balls between the toes. She loves the stuff. Not sure if you can put it on once the pads are cracked and bleeding.

Mushers Secret

[Desert Arabian]

I highly suggest that you use these two products (use in combination) for your dogs paws. These two products are made for hunting dogs, but would work just fine on your pup. Jim's (my dad's best friend) hunting labs had horrible pads- they were extremely rough, cracked, and eventually bled too. I found some of this at Gander Mountain and bought some for him. We put it on his pups and about a week or so later the dogs paws were perfect. The two products also work to block germs from getting in the cuts, making the pads infected.

Follow these links to Gundogs Online supply store:
CUT/HEAL PAD HEAL
TUF-FOOT

*Sorry if I offended you in anyway by posting a hunted related-link, but it is the only place I could find the stuff.*

[stacwase]

Originally posted by YellowLabLover
I highly suggest that you use these two products (use in combination) for your dogs paws. These two products are made for hunting dogs, but would work just fine on your pup. Jim's (my dad's best friend) hunting labs had horrible pads- they were extremely rough, cracked, and eventually bled too. I found some of this at Gander Mountain and bought some for him. We put it on his pups and about a week or so later the dogs paws were perfect. The two products also work to block germs from getting in the cuts, making the pads infected.

Follow these links to Gundogs Online supply store:
CUT/HEAL PAD HEAL
TUF-FOOT

*Sorry if I offended you in anyway by posting a hunted related-link, but it is the only place I could find the stuff.*

Thanks!!! So - Jim was able to put the products on the paws once they were already in bad shape. That's exactly what I need. I appreciate it! No offense about the hunting-related link. I'm not anti-hunting (the hunters just get on my nerves sometimes!).