Happy Feet

by Bill Mutter

Dogs are “Toe Walkers” so it is important to keep their feet in good shape. Your dog’s nails should be trimmed regularly.

The dog’s feet should also be inspected regularly. The hair between your dog’s pads can hide ticks, fleas, burrs, foot problems or injuries to your dog’s feet. In winter, ice and salt can cling to the hair between the pads and cause irritation or sores to the dog’s pads.

If your dog is outside a lot, whether in a run or for walks, check the pads of their feet for roughness or cracks. In cold weather, walking outside on concrete or other cold surfaces, can severely dry out your dog’s pads causing them to crack and split. To prevent this, you can obtain special ointments to rub on your dog’s pads to restore moisture and keep the pads supple. Pet supply stores will usually carry a variety of ointments, creams and gels specifically for this purpose.

If you take your dog for walks, avoid allowing the dog from walking (or drinking for that matter) in puddles along streets and roadways. These puddles may contain spilled antifreeze or other chemicals that are toxic to your dog. Dogs will lick their feet to clean them, thereby ingesting any harmful substances on them. Salt and chemical “salt” used on sidewalks and roadways may be harmful to your dog if ingested. After walking your dog, be sure to wipe off your dog’s feet with a damp towel.

On longhaired breeds, the hair on their feet and between their toes (or pads) can grow quite long. This can be slippery for your dog on floors and on snow and ice, causing the dog to fall and possibly hurt or injure itself.

The hair on your dog’s feet should be trimmed neatly, especially around the nails and the bottom of the foot. The hair on the bottom of the foot should not exceed the dog’s pads. Make sure to carefully trim the hair between the pads short.

Should your dog’s feet have cracked or bleeding pads or other injuries, or you think your dog may have ingested a suspect substance, call your veterinarian.

Keeping your dog’s nails trimmed and checking your dog’s feet can go a long way to avoiding minor or possibly serious injuries to your dog and your dog will have happy feet!

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