Shredded Pads - Help, Please!

[silverfish]

It's maybe a difference in the way they're kept in England. The kennels I've seen here (only two or three, but I'm told they're fairly typical) keep the dogs two together in largeish kennels with a concrete floor for easy cleaning, and a raised bed. So the dogs are well used to jumping up from, and down onto concrete. It must toughen up the paws.

[Ragsysmum]

It's maybe a difference in the way they're kept in England.  The kennels I've seen here (only two or three, but I'm told they're fairly typical) keep the dogs two together in largeish kennels with a concrete floor for easy cleaning, and a raised bed.  So the dogs are well used to jumping up from, and down onto concrete.  It must toughen up the paws.

1468729[/snapback]

 

Yes, silverfish, this is my experience too so you are probably right. Greys here seem to do 'roadwork' as part of their training too which I don't think happens at all in the USA. I just wondered if this did account for the difference as they do seem to be more delicate over there. However, in my experience ours seem to get less skin damage to other parts of their bodies too, which made me wonder if there is some genetic difference.

[Greylover97]

It's maybe a difference in the way they're kept in England.  The kennels I've seen here (only two or three, but I'm told they're fairly typical) keep the dogs two together in largeish kennels with a concrete floor for easy cleaning, and a raised bed.  So the dogs are well used to jumping up from, and down onto concrete.  It must toughen up the paws.

1468729[/snapback]

 

Yes, silverfish, this is my experience too so you are probably right. Greys here seem to do 'roadwork' as part of their training too which I don't think happens at all in the USA. I just wondered if this did account for the difference as they do seem to be more delicate over there. However, in my experience ours seem to get less skin damage to other parts of their bodies too, which made me wonder if there is some genetic difference.

1468857[/snapback]

 

You might be on the right track with genetic differences too. I know my girl hasn't had one cut or scrap or torn anything the whole time she has been with me, coming up on a year soon. However my boy well, he is walking injury waiting to happen!

[Guest LynnM]

Baby socks work well, but after another day or so, nothing should be needed.... as for the "if someone sees me buying baby stuff, I'll have some explaining to do"....

 

Would you believe that sildenifil (Viagara), being a vasodilator, is occasionally used in treating pulmonary hypertension in dogs. Can you just IMAGINE picking that script up at the pharmacy? (No, really, it's for the DOG. And it's not for THAT!)

 

Lynn

[ChiliDog]

Baby socks work well, but after another day or so, nothing should be needed.... as for the "if someone sees me buying baby stuff, I'll have some explaining to do"....

 

Would you believe that sildenifil (Viagara), being a vasodilator, is occasionally used in treating pulmonary hypertension in dogs. Can you just IMAGINE picking that script up at the pharmacy? (No, really, it's for the DOG. And it's not for THAT!)

 

Lynn

1469308[/snapback]

 

I once had to pick up a script for Prozac for my cat. Not only was it Prozac ("yes, for the cat, yes cat... yes...") but when the script was ready what do I hear over the loudspeaker :

"Prescription ready for Satan Deskin. Satan Deskin your prescription is ready".

[Guest Lunula]

Holy cow... your cat's name is Satan?! Depressed and named Satan, that is not a good combo!

[ChiliDog]

Holy cow... your cat's name is Satan?! Depressed and named Satan, that is not a good combo! 

1469565[/snapback]

 

He's Angel Satan now. Lived to the ripe old age of 22. For about a year before he died he was suffering from some sort of feline senility (well he was like 192 in people years ) and was put on Prozac. Didn't help him. There was many a night that I considered popping the Prozac myself rather than endure another hour of his poor wailing....

 

 

D.

[Guest Lillitth]

Zephyr came to us with giant holes in his pads on two feet. We used Bag Balm and booties and they healed right up! He hated his booties too! but they saved his little tootsies! Now he only runs on grass.

[Burpdog]

I haven't read all the replies. What I did when I made the mistake, once (and only once) of letting my Dobes run on a tennis court, was bag balm the feet and put baby socks on. It does take awhile to heal. You can let them air during the day and wrap at night. You can also use antibiotic cream.

 

With any kind of cut or abrasion, as my vet said (and MDs too) if you have to use peroxide, use only once.

[ChiliDog]

I haven't read all the replies.  What I did when I made the mistake, once (and only once) of letting my Dobes run on a tennis court, was bag balm the feet and put baby socks on.  It does take awhile to heal.  You can let them air during the day and wrap at night.  You can also use antibiotic cream.

 

With any kind of cut or abrasion, as my vet said (and MDs too) if you have to use peroxide, use only once.

1478287[/snapback]

 

Yes you can believe I'll never make that mistake again, either! I've been putting the bag balm and pad protector and he's MUCH better. At night, before I go to sleep I also rub his feet with some of my night cream, too. (Don't know if it's helping his dry cracked pads but he sure smells purty )

[Guest spookstersmom]

Our newly adopted grey who came directly off the track had very very soft feet. He was reluctant to walk on anything unless it was soft. We took a lot of time taking small walks to get his feet used to the harder and rough surface. We also applied PAW WAX, available from PetSmart, and it seems to have helped as he is walking farther and his pads definitely feel more rough and abrasive than they did. Patience and a soft surface is the best solution. Good luck!

[Guest Lillitth]

once had to pick up a script for Prozac for my cat. Not only was it Prozac ("yes, for the cat, yes cat... yes...") but when the script was ready what do I hear over the loudspeaker :

"Prescription ready for Satan Deskin. Satan Deskin your prescription is ready

 

 

HAHAHAHAHAHA

[Guest LancePearson]

We read the books before we got Kate about their pads which said that greys have relatively soft pads and if you walk them on asphalt or concrete do so gradually building up so they can build their pads up. They race on some kind of what looks like sand and dirt mix which is fairly soft and with no excess fat the pad and the underlying tissue can rub across one another and create internal friction quickly then blow.

 

We just had a weird experience with Kate yesterday on one of her left foreleg pads. I take her to a full sized baseball diamond which is fenced with two gates I can close and toss frisbees which she loves to run under, sometimes catching in the air and other times watching them float to the ground. When down, she pounces on them with her full weight on her front feet to get them to flip up so she can grab them and run around with it in her mouth. They are plastic but relatively hard plastic. Midway in our routine she lost interest in running and I took her back to the car where I noticed blood when she got in. There had been no cry or limp. It looked like she had torn the uppermost pad on a front paw. I cleaned it with water and cloth then and again at home with hyd. perox once then put neosporin on, wrapped in gauze then put a TheraPaw on. She laid low and rested but never limped. This morning I redressed it but no H.P. and saw that it is what looks to me like a blistered area where the exterior of the pad "lifted" off the underlying. I trimmed it, more sporin, wrap, therapaw and she looks like she's coping pretty well.

 

I think what happened is that on one of her 60 # forcefull pounces that paw slipped over the rounded edge and it created enough friction that it literally blistered the pad about 3/8" in diameter. Fortunately, it is at the top of her pads and when she walks normally isn't in contact with the ground. I'll keep it clean and covered with neosporin which works wonders with her...polysporin would too. If it gets red or swollen then it's off to the vet though I don't think that is necessry as it looks clean and already starting to heal.

 

She doesn't walk on asphalt or concrete and our exposed aggregate cement drive is too hard on her feet so I put a 30" wide runner of indoor/outdoor carpet from the garage door to the yard where she walks so she won't get hurt by the exposed aggregate concrete which I once walked a few feet on barefoot....it looks great but is rough on your feet. It sounds excessive but it is much better on her feet.

 

If anyone sees anything in this that I've related above that you see I'm doing wrong, let me know. We love Kate and hated to see this happen. It's tennis balls in the future, no more frisbees unless I can find really soft ones.

 

Lance, Karen and Kate Pearson

Chester, Va.

[Guest macawmom]

Hi-

 

I just had an incident where I took my grey hiking in the woods, and when I brought him home, I noticed him limping slightly.

His rear paw pad looked shredded along one of the edges. I soaked his paw in some warm epsom salt solution, and applied some antibiotic ointment. I had already purchased a thera- paw bootie to cover the area so that he wouldnt lick the ointment off. This bootie has a gel pad bottom to it so that it cushions and protects the pawpad from further damage. I looked up the website and it was helpful-- these booties are great for active dogs with sensitive feet, and I have met many grey owners who swear by them. My dog wears his one bootie and he has gotten used to walking with it on. It's worth a try -- I didn't want to limit my dog's activity because of this since he enjoys his walks so much every day.

 

good luck--

Mac's mom

[Guest greyloverx2]

Baby socks work well, but after another day or so, nothing should be needed.... as for the "if someone sees me buying baby stuff, I'll have some explaining to do"....

 

Would you believe that sildenifil (Viagara), being a vasodilator, is occasionally used in treating pulmonary hypertension in dogs. Can you just IMAGINE picking that script up at the pharmacy? (No, really, it's for the DOG. And it's not for THAT!)

 

Lynn

 

as someone who's grey has pulmonary hypertension and takes viagra twice a day, I know the situation. Ours comes by mail and I swear the postman gives us a smile every time he delivers it! At least it's been successful in treating his symptoms and my husband hasn't even tried to sneak a pill or two!!

Edited July 27, 2008 by greyloverx2

[Guest LolasMom]

An agility trainer friend or mine told me that a mixture of 50% Aloe Vera Jell and 50% Witch-hazel alcohol applied a few times a day for a week or so to the pads will help strengthen and protect them (without drying them). I tried it with both my pups when they came off the track and it actually seems to work.

Once Logan's pads have totally healed you might want to give it a try and see what you think. I mixed it in a squirt bottle and just messaged it into each pad two to three times a day.

[racindog]

Two words...Therapaws and Tuf-foot(www.tuffoot.com). Slim had serious chronic foot problems and that is when I discovered Therapaws. They can still run as fast as they want in them and they won't come off and they will protect the foot-especially during healing when it is most vulnerable to re-injury. I used to have to bandage feet quite often and I also got an extra large size to put over bandage and it worked so wonderful for when it is rain/mud. Tuf-foot is just plain good stuff. Really toughens up their feet. You can put it in a little spray bottle and just spray it on. Hope this helps.

[Guest BigDog]

Don't have a gh yet, but we've been dog sitting for other gh owners and getting ready to adopt. We live in a rural area just north of Phoenix, AZ. I love to take the dogs for a walk, but what's the best protection against hot pavement, lack of sidewalks, sand washes and lots of various cacti thorns EVERYWHERE? Do you recommend Thera-paws for everyday use or something else?

[Guest krey1025]

I know this is an older thread, but just wanted to say thanks for all the great information and recommendations. Peet came home this morning with a bloody paw and there is a tiny tear on one of his pads. I think it happened toward the end of our walk and I think he stepped on something sharp (maybe even the rock salt that's down on the sidewalks after our big snowstorm). Anyway, he's our first dog so all the information here is wonderful - thanks!