I think your idea of using a cream made for animals is excellent. I was worrying about the thought of using hand lotion on my dogs. They would just lick it off and I was worried that it would be unhealthy. I have some salve made from hemp that I bought at the Body Shop for my rough feet. Wonder if that would be a good thing to use on my dog's feet. It is all natural and doesn't have any scents added to it.