Paws Paws Paws. That’s pretty much been the focus of life here for the last week. I mentioned in last week’s post that Maggie and Skip might have had “frostbitten” paws; little did I know how deep into the weeds of frostbite and dog paws I would go. I’ve a learned a lot, (understatement of the year), and thought it might be helpful if I passed some of it on, not to mention giving others, with more experience, a forum to share what they know.
First, let’s talk about “frostbite.” What is it, and how do you diagnosis it on a dog’s paws? (By the way, if you live where it’s warm, this might not be of interest. But then again, you never know.) Wikipedia has a great article on frostbite, although, not surprisingly, it talks about it in humans. But it’s a great start. In simple terms, frostbite occurs when tissues, usually in the extremities, like fingers and toes, are actually frozen.
But there’s actually something called “frostnip,” that I’ve never heard anyone talk about until doing the research. In both “bite” and “nip,”, the blood vessels are constricted by the cold and the area loses its blood supply. In frostnip, the skin can turn red initially and pale in color later because the blood vessels are restricted or damaged. The areas, to us humans, at first feel very cold, and eventually numb.
Mild or superficial frostbite occurs when ice crystals actually begin to form in the skin. The skin often begins to feel hot, and once the area is warmed up, looks mottled or purple. (I was crazed with excitement when I saw snow for the first time in Tuscon AZ, age nine, and cried bitterly “It burns!” when I tried to play with it.) Blisters often form under the skin, as much as 36 hours after exposure. Severe frostbite occurs when the deep tissues are affected. The damage can be permanent, and the areas, usually hard and black, have to be surgically removed. Check out the images of frostbite versus frostnip, with a warning: The images are not for the squeamish.
Now, to dogs. Just like us, frostnip and frostbite occurs most often in the extremities. In Skip and Maggie’s case, it looked as though their paws were affected, and just as in humans, discoloration was the first sign of it. Diagnosis and treatment for it is very similar to that in humans (with lots of cautions to never warm a suspected area too fast.)
But of course, it’s much harder if it occurs in dogs to know exactly what is going on. Dogs, Maggie included, usually pick their paws up when they start “burning,” and I always take them back into the house as soon as I see that happening. But Skip? “Nope, he suggested by his behavior. “I’m good!” We had taken several walks when it was close to zero, and both dogs seemed comfortable, so I continued up the hill for our usual walk.
It wasn’t until evening, when we were playing the “dremel = chicken” game, when I noticed areas on Skip’s paws that were strangely colored. Not black, not white, but sort of toasty colored. Maggie too had a few areas on her paw pads that were lighter than expected. Eeeeps. Uh oh, have they been frostbitten? I did the obvious: called my vet, went online, etc etc etc.
Here is one of Skip’s paws the next day:
Was this a sign of mild frostbite or frost nip? Hmm, I was pretty sure Skip’s paw pads were all black. My vet told me to watch for blisters. They are a sign of true frostbite and clear tissue damage. The good news is that I’ve seen no sign of any blisters on the dog’s pads. Pain is another symptom, and that is a harder call. Skip is problematically stoic, but there was one paw that seemed more sensitive than others. Meaningful? Argh, hard to know. Maggie is more of a princess, but she’s not crazy about her paws being handled much anyway, even though we’ve been working hard on it. So, no signs of extreme pain, but tough to know if there is some discomfort. In addition, were the pads a bit swollen? One pad in particular seemed a bit squishy. Hmmm.
But, good, no blisters. At least no visible ones. So I figured I’m probably dealing with either frostnip or superficial frostbite. Now what? Clearly I have to protect the dog’s paws from the cold (it was still bitter cold, highs well below 10 degrees F), but how?
First, I needed to keep the areas well moisturized while they healed. The Musher’s Secret that I had on order when I wrote last week finally came, and I used that on their paws before going outside for pee breaks of just 15-20 seconds. (I am blessed with dogs who pee on cue. Whew.) Musher’s Secret does not protect paws from the cold; rather it’s a way to keep the pads moisturized and prevent cracking and ice balls if out longer. I also read about using Udder Balm to moisturize the pads, and luckily, because we used to raise market lambs, I still had some in the cabinet. It’s gooey and sticky and the last thing you want on your carpet, so I gently massage it into the dog’s pads twice a day. Afterward I put them into their crates, already supplied with a towel. I still get it on my pants and the floor sometimes, but those are all washable, so who cares?
Now I needed to figure out how to take the dogs out for longer when it was still cold while their paws healed. At this point, I still had no good idea of how badly the pads were injured–most advice is about dealing with blisters and severely damaged tissue. But what about the grey area between frostnip and frost bite? Luckily, I know two wonderful people who live in cold climates, and who have experience with sled dogs and what’s needed to protect paws in extreme cold. Melissa McCue-McGrath, reminded me that deep snow (which we have a lot of) is a good insulator, and that paws would get colder standing on hard snow or ice, rather than moving around in snow. “Keep them moving” if you can. Okay, that helps. We also talked about paw protection, which began the SEARCH FOR DOG BOOTIES. (I capitalized that because, yes, I am yelling, because trying to find dog boots of the right size at the end of winter in a pandemic when everything is sold out and delivery times are whacked is, uh, a bit of a thing.)
Here’s are a few things I’ve learned about dog boots: (Please add your own experiences, I’m still on a learning curve here.) First, boots are hard to keep on. The best product for keeping boots on your dog’s paws seems to be Pawz. Paws are basically balloons for your dog’s feet. They are great for protecting your dog’s paws from salt and toxic stuff that gets put onto roads and sidewalks. They, however, do little or nothing to keep paws with damaged blood vessels warm or to prevent dog’s paws from frost bite. But they were better than nothing so I looked everywhere for them, and finally found some in a size possibly too small (Medium, when Skip needs Large, his paws measuring 3.25 and 3.50 inches long). When they arrived they indeed were too small, but I found that if I cut off just the top, they would stay on.
It took awhile of experimenting, not to mention keeping the dogs inside as much as possible, but I finally came up with a plan that has worked very well. Melissa suggested putting children’s socks on the dog’s paws before the booties, which would provide some warmth. After brainstorming with her, and looking for some kind of a sock equivalent, I came up with a good solution: Sheep’s wool under the dog’s pads for insulation (and the lanolin in the wool even moisturizes!), wrapped in vet wrap, all covered with Pawz booties. Voila! Here’s the result:
However, it’s not the easiest thing in the world to put all this together, and obviously I need to get actual dog boots that are easier to put on and off. Friend Jenny Glen (a great sheepdog handler who also uses sleds to exercise her Border Collies in winter), uses Cordura boots, which are inexpensive and have the advantage of being sold one at a time. If you lose one you don’t have to replace the entire set.
Melissa, who grew up in a sled dog family, suggested Mountain Ridge as a place with great boots, which also can be ordered separately. I’ve ordered some, but they haven’t arrived yet. When they do, I’ll let you know. (And will go back and update this post.) She also suggested Muttlux, which I ordered and should arrive any day. But again, I couldn’t find the size I needed, so ordered Medium instead of Large. We’ll see.
Another dear friend, drove out across town on a frigid day to deliver the boots he’s used for his hunting dog. He admitted that they were tiresome to put on and filled with snow if the snow was deep, so, grateful though I am, I passed on using them. But thank you Peter; only a true friend would drive across town in zero degree weather.
Will Skip need boots for years to come, because once an area has been damaged, it is more susceptible to that happening in the future? I know from experience, that a frostbitten finger of mine turned white at the drop of a hat (or the thermometer, I should say) for decades afterward. Maggie’s paws were nothing like Skips, I would classify them as possibly ‘nipped’ and no more. But still, one pad has a crack in it and I’ve been slathering it with Udder Balm twice a day and putting on Musher’s Secret before we go out, even when it’s balmy. (Balmy is anything over 20 degrees, feels like swim suit weather.)
But, here’s the kicker: Were Skip’s paws ever really frostbitten? I assume they had, because “light areas on paw pads” are one of the diagnostic conditions. And I thought that Skip’s pads were all black. But, I went back and looked at earlier photos, and darn if I couldn’t see some areas of light when you could see the bottom of his paws. So I went back online, and found that there are many reasons why black paw pads might turn light, none of them good. And many dogs have paw pads that never turn black.
Holy moly dog lovers, have I been doing all this for nothing? Ha! Could be, could not . . . So that’s where I am now, unsure, after all this, if the dog’s did get frostnip or frost bite, and unsure if Skip especially has kind of medical condition or just plain old pink paw pads. Holy dog boots, batman. Well, good grief, I sure have learned a lot about paws and keeping them safe in winter. I have discovered I knew less about my own dog’s paws than I thought, and that I’d better start paying more attention to their pads. (This from the woman who looks at their paws daily while conditioning them to accept the dremel nail grinder. Remember the famous video of how much we miss about X when we’re looking at Y?) I’ll keep you posted about where we go from here.
Here’s the good news (sort of): I’ve discovered that Maggie has some cracks in her paw pads, some of them look border-line serious. At the moment she’s in her crate, with her pads slathered with Udder Balm. (Which she hates by the way, although Musher’s Secret doesn’t bother her in the least. Skip doesn’t like it either. No idea why!) But I’m glad I’ve caught it before it got worse. Later today I’ll take photos of her paws too, got to get them on record!
In summary: Lessons Learned, for those of you who’ve stayed with this, even if you live where it’s warm most of the time. (“Most of the time” being a pretty useless phrase now.)
First, and not obviously, do you know EXACTLY what the bottom of your dog’s paws look like? I’ve gone crazy trying to figure out if all of Skip’s pads were black or if any areas were light to begin with. You think you know, but I’m here to say you might not. Don’t trust your memory, take photos! We were sure Skip’s paw pads were solid black when we got him, but I’ve found a photo that showed an area of one pad that is clearly much lighter. Were they all black when we got him in Feb of 2020, but one got frost nipped and I didn’t know it? If I had photographs there would be no mystery.
Second, have some kind of pad moisturizer on hand. I know dozens of farmers who wouldn’t live without Udder Balm for their own bodies (jokes welcome), so you might appreciate it as much as your dog.
Third, check your dog’s paw pads often. If you live in the city or suburbs, be sure to clean your dog’s paws of salt, etc, and keep them moisturized. If it’s salty and nasty, invest in some Pawz.
Fourth, if you live where it’s reliably bitter cold, it won’t hurt to have some good boots on hand. Yeah, at least I’ll be well equipped in the future when all the boots I’ve ordered finally arrive.
The one last thing I’ll say here is that I’ve been trying to find an expert who can tell me why the paw pads of dog’s go from thick black to very lighy when they are nipped for frostbitten. I can easily see why our skin turns from whitish (less blood blow), but where does the melanin go from a dog’s paws? Is the black melanin anyway, or something else? I have some inquiries out to vets who work with sled dogs, but vets are slammed now, so I haven’t heard from them. If I do I’ll update this and mention it in subsequent posts. I’ll also repost this next fall, for obvious reasons. Please chime in if you’ve had experience with bitter cold + dog paws + nips and bites of the frosty kind. Or not having a clue if your dog has been frostbitten, or not. Sigh.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: Not too much in this section here, running out of energy, but as I said above. It’s been pretty much about the paws here. However, we also have a welcome break in the weather, which is more welcome than I can say. I love of living in the north, I really do, but there just comes a time when enough is enough, and that’s where most of us up here are now. We’re done, thank you. Thank you very much. Between the deep snow and the bitter cold, and the pandemic restrictions, it’s time for a change. I’m happy to say we’re getting it, temperature-wise anyway, it’s getting up to the mid-30’s today! That’s soooo toasty!
Here’s Skip learning that having balloons on your paws isn’t too bad at all:
Desperate times call for desperate measures, so I baked a chocolate-chocolate cake (baker’s chocolate and cocoa powder) for Jim and I.
I took this on a walk several weeks ago, when it was, uh, maybe 15 degrees or so? Cold but not brutal for those of us who live up here. I promise you that I did not mess with the color; the sky really really was that blue.
I will end by saying that I have lots more photos I wanted to add, but because the goddess of the internet knows that I’m tired and the dogs need to go out, she is refusing to transfer my photos from my phone to my laptop or email.
And tell us your paw stories! Don’t hesitate to laugh at my angst over my dog’s paws, and my complete lack of clarity of their condition. (Ever got lost in the weeds and now wonder if you were in the wrong pond?) I’ll be laughing myself even more after I have some cake.
Kat says
We got Ranger a set of boots one year for the opposite reason; we needed to protect his paws from the heat of pavement. (so for those in warm climates the discussion of booties is relevant) It was really really hot for a few weeks that year and our street had just been resurfaced so it was that deep black that especially retains heat. We were able to find some boots at our local independent pet supply store so we could even try them on to make sure they were the right size. I don’t remember the brand.
As he aged and needed better traction we bought him some ruffwear boots. It took three tries to find the right size. Ranger had surprisingly large feet. Come to think of it I should pull those out and see if they’ll fit D’Artagnan.
We don’t get enough snow or cold for frostbite to be a serious concern, thank heavens. But I have an insatiable curiosity so I love learning anything new.
Donna says
As a fellow Wisconsinite, I am anxiously awaiting your review on dog boots. This year has been brutal for dog & human alike.
Love the advice about taking pictures of our dogs pads! That’s getting added to my to do list.
Tracey says
I got a set of Muttlux for my therapy dog, Pippin, a Chihuahua who has a very thin coat. Having tiny little feet makes it a pain to get them on. She did walk funny, in a comical way at first. They do stay on.
Robin says
Frostbite is certainly scary. Where I grew up in North VT, we knew as kids to check for parts of our fingers and faces that had gone pale. Windburn and sunburn made it complicated too, because they cause a similar burn and are easy to get on bright days in the winter. (Protip: wear your sunglasses!)
I do remember from organic chemistry back in college that dark pigments are much longer molecules (and stronger, thus the dark edges to many bird species’ wings), so perhaps they get broken by ice crystals and the skin gets lighter? I tried to look up information on what frost bite or frost nip looks like in humans with more melanin, but there is disappointingly little that is easily found beyond the study that people of African descent are more easily susceptible to frostbite. Seems like another failing of medical research for the BIPOC community.
At least we don’t have to fear our blocky headed mutt will be foolhardy about staying out in the cold. This is his first real winter north of the Carolinas, and even on sunny days in the 30s and 40s he’s eager to get inside as quickly as possible. It has been a great time to work on recall, because the snowbanks limit his travels and I can rely on him always going back to the house!
MinnesotaMary says
I love this post! Dog’s paws aren’t something we think about protecting. I can highly recommend dog booties from http://www.dogbooties.com. They were located in Duluth, MN but moved to Alaska. They supply booties to sled dog teams running the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest. They come in various levels of warmth and protection and all have a stretchy Velcro fastener around the “ankle” part of the bootie. The least expensive ones aren’t going to provide a lot of warmth, but as you stated, if they keep moving they aren’t at much risk for cold paws. You measure your dog’s paws and pick the correct size and desired color. A few years ago I bought 2 sets of booties for each of my 3 dogs. At the time they were $2.50 per bootie. They are now at $3.00. Not a bad deal and not a tragedy if one is lost at that price.
Barbara says
How do you trim your dogs’ nails? I do my Shepherds while they lie on their sides on the couch. Much easier to see how close to the quick I am getting than looking at the nails from the top. I sit sideways to the dog, on a bench beside the couch, while I Dremel their nails. Since their feet are nearly upside down anyway it is easy to see their pads, trim the hair between the pads on long-coat Casey, check for irritated spots etc. all while I’m doing their weekly pedi. Just to keep things even (and to reach the dew claw on the top front leg) I have them lie down facing the other direction each time. Yes, I do their nails weekly! Hardwood floors, large dogs with thick black nails, no pavement for them to run on. And yes, Patricia, it took time to train my dogs to cooperate. Miley is almost ten, I’ve been working with her since she was eight weeks old, I still need a bowl of tiny cookies at hand. She often kicks and jerks anyway. Patience and persistence. Treats and pats. Five year old Casey loves spa day.
I live in NW Washington state. We’ve had a few weeks of below 30 degrees, one snow storm that dropped 10 inches and was gone in two days. Back to rain. The older I get the more I hate the cold. I do not envy all of you in the (vast) cold area. I have been working for 73 years to convince whoever is charge that snow belongs in the mountains, or at least 500 feet above my home.
I do have boots (Ruffwear) in several sizes (front and back feet are different) that I use when I need to medicate and keep a dog from licking an injury or between the pads. I use baby socks under them to prevent rubbing. I fold the top of the sock over the velcro strap and add a narrow strip of Gorilla tape over the folded sock. Haven’t lost a boot yet although the dogs were allowed to run through the woods. I wash the boots and dry them on the boot dryer.
I’ve been reading your blog for years and love, love, love it. I have learned so much from you and I feel like I am getting to know some of your regular contributors. Thank you (and them.)
Charlotte Kasner says
Could the change (if change there be), be related to snow nose? I’ve not heard of it in paws, but I live in a maritime climate and I suspect that snow nose is better known because it is pretty obvious.
As far as I know, we still don’t know what causes snow nose but it is harmless.
Trisha says
Barbara, as a former resident of Alaska, I can attest to disliking the cold in the NW. It’s so damp, and so hard to warm up from. Regarding nail care and dog paw pads, my story is even worse than it sounds. I look at my dog’s paws almost every single day, given that we’re working on dremel = chicken. Thus, I “look” at my dog’s paws every day, but am so focused on the nails I don’t see them. Apparently it’s my personal gorilla!
Rebecca Rice says
Hi! I live in sunny southern California, so frostbite isn’t so much of a concern. But knowing about good boots is always welcome, since the blazing hot pavement can be a concern in summer. (Also, just fyi: winter is our growing time down here, because winter is when we get rain. There’s only been one day of real rain this year (that’s rain loud enough and long enough to actually be heard), so I think this summer is going to be brutally hot and dry. (Also just fyi, we are currently sitting at 2.4 inches of rain when we should , on average, be at 6.4 inches. And February has been dry, and March is our last real chance of getting significant rain. On average, we should get 12.2 inches, almost all of that between Oct-Apr.))
I will second the “know what your dog’s paws actually look like” comment! I’m currently dealing with a sore foot in one of my dogs. The best my vet and I can figure is that he might have some sort of foreign body between toes 4 and 5, but there’s no signs of any injury that we can see. That’s being fun! But he does seem to be feeling better now, so it appears that out treatment is working. Also, if you take pictures of your dog’s feet, it can help you see things if, like me, you are getting older and your eyesight is not what it once was! Put them on the computer and you can blow them up to a nice size.
Paula Ehlers says
My first experience with Paws boots was when our Doberman had a leg amputated due to cancer; we wanted to give him better traction in the house. I’d put them on, and then stupidly went to work. When I got home, his one front paw was extremely swollen (due to the snugness), more than twice its normal size. Never used them again. Yes, it was dumb of me to leave them on so long, lol.
lak says
When I first got my dog I was playing with her on hard snow, throwing her beloved tennis ball. We had a blast, and then later that night my dogs’ feet were glowing deep pink! I felt so bad that I did not even think about her feet getting burned/chafed/hurt at all, and to this day she is herculean about pain. I learned after that one incident within the first week of having her to protect her feet. She does not like boots, walks like a crazy duck when they are on, but we too live in the North, and we walk unless it is less than 5 degrees, all care is taken of her feet and the rest of her, besides, I love a dog in a snood!
Tammy says
I, too, look forward to hearing about your experiences with the other boots you’re waiting for. I have a dog whose paws are not much wider than her ankles and have had zero luck finding anything that will stay on those twisting, turning, fast-moving skinny feet as she races through the woods on hikes. My solution is not to take her hiking if it’s below 15 here in New Hampshire, but I’m always on the lookout for better boot solutions.
I had a panicked moment reading your post, thinking, wait — what color were her feet originally? They’re pink and black now, with some of the pink pads a bit beige at the very edges (uh oh?). Fortunately, she likes to sleep upside down and I adore her sleeping self and have lots of photos that show her pads. They’ve always been black and pink, at least since she came to us from Puerto Rican streets at about 9 months.
Deborah Mason says
I was glad to see someone else address the opposite end of the problem. Where we live in NW Montana we get cold, but we let our dogs decide how long to be outside in cold weather. In summer, when we travel to the city (shopping trips) we do have to let them out to relieve themselves and the (air) temperatures can be over 100 so the pavement is really hot. Now, we’re planning a trip to the Grand Canyon and in their online info they remind people they need to be aware of pet paw safety. I’ve started training one of our dogs with “cute” shoes (they look like Converse tennies) but I think we’ll want something more practical for both our dogs. I’m concerned about the level of insulation for heat. At least I know we can train them to accept the booties since we do a lot of shaping training already.
BARB STANEK says
Please pass the cake! 🙂
Trisha says
I’m loving the input from those of you who live where it’s hot. Having grown up in Arizona, I can attest to how hot the pavement can get. My friend and I actually did fry an egg on my driveway, and it didn’t take that long at all. Thanks for adding to the conversation!
Beth says
I live in NW Wisconsin and have also experienced the super cold. My rat terrier is a rescue from Texas and can’t figure out what happened regarding the weather, lol. I have used a type of mushers secret, but he HATED it. Now he runs to his crate whenever I put lotion on my own hands…. I haven’t been able to find any boots that fit him yet and have gotten frustrated. I look forward to your updates. I go out with him each time he needs (wild animals are an issue here too) and we come in as soon as he starts to lift his paws (I pick him up) or goes to the door. So far all is ok. I will definitely check his paws more often though!
Trisha says
Try the Pawz Beth, if you need to, but they’d need to have some kind of insulation to keep his paws warm. I bet they’ll stay on. My concern with them for Skip is that they can be so tight they cut off circulation, not a good way to keep paws warm!
Kristi says
This was really interesting. I have noticed some small oval spots on my dogs’ pads, just at the usual contact spot, that seemed especially worn, with detectable tissue deficit. No color changes or pain expressed. We were lucky enough to be in Arizona for a couple of weeks and they walked in 80 degree weather on asphalt for a bit. Then back to the deep freeze in Iowa. So was it heat damage, cold damage, chemical damage from ice melt, or possibly trauma from hard, icy surfaces? For lack of swelling, pain and erythema, we tended away from heat, cold and chemical and thought more “laceration” but it is so totally regular, perfect little ovals… They seem to be healing well and the Musher’s Secret and Bag Balm really help, but, oh, so messy!
Mary says
Years ago, when we lived in Georgia, we had an American Eskimo Spitz dog (or as our young daughter called her, a “spitter dog.” This little dog was afraid of her shadow and everything else in the world. But she loved us – we rescued her from a bad situation. One day I realized that I hadn’t seen, nor heard from her in hours. We searched the house, we searched the yard and searched the house again. I was so afraid that one of the kids had left her outside and that she had wandered away. We searched for two days, before one of the kids found her UNDER OUR BED! We couldn’t get her to come out for anything. She wouldn’t move, and we didn’t know why. Finally, we got her out. (A broom handle MAY have been used.) We looked her over to try to figure out what was wrong, and I discovered that she had a sewing needle that had gone all the way through her paw, sideways. This little dog always associated pain with being in trouble. So she spent two days under our bed, terrified. (We think that this was a part of her experience with her previous family.) We ended up taking her to the vet, who did x-rays to see if there was any permanent damage. The good news was that she was just fine after the needle was removed. The bad news…I was the only one who did any sewing, so it was probably me who dropped the needle!
Kerry Lauer says
My previous dog was a PWC who loved being outdoors in the cold temperatures here in Fargo, ND. He had clunky front feet that would often get scraped and bloodied by the crusty snow of spring’s thaw/freeze cycle. In order to protect his toes I came up with the same solution you have: baby sock, vet wrap and Pawz. I could never find a boot that would stay on his feet and the dogs I have now think snow is an abomination. They run in and out as quickly as possible when the temperature is below +20°F and they happily use pee pads when the temperature dips down below O°F.
Devora Locke says
Great article! here dog paws get burned and abraded from the crushed granite trails in the desert, and I have been using Pawz for a couple years. I was using dog socks under then for ‘insulation’. Problem with them is that they don;t breathe, and dogs do sweat through their paws- the inside of the bootie will get wet and slippery without the sock.
I’m not 100% with this solution but with a BC who has teeny back feet and bigger front feet I have yet to find any bootie that will stay on, even if I buy two different sizes.
Do you know the Pawz trick about using a large Rx bottle or other deep bottle cap? You need one a dog’s paw would fit into. Wrap the edges of the Pawz bootie around the rim, stuff the remainder inside the bottle, slip the entire thing over the dogs foot, and set the bootie edges onto the paw and remove the bottle. So much easier than fussing with a dog who won’t hold still!
muttzrule says
Duncan once taught me something about dogs I had never known even after years of living with them. They can blister their paws from playing too hard, no hot pavement needed. His favorite game was running the fence line with his dog buddies on the other side. We had a chain link fence and all the neighbors had dogs. Best of all was Max the lab. They often ran sprints several times a day, so the heavy clay soil common to this area was packed down hard along the fence. One spring day not long after I adopted Missy, I was doing yardwork, she was watching for squirrels and Duncan was running with Max. When we went inside he almost tiptoed on his front paws. Instead of all black they had pink areas, not bleeding but slightly raw and irritated. To avoid the temptation to run, for a few days he could only go out to potty when Max was inside, and he couldn’t understand why I was being so mean to him not letting him run!
Teddy says
We tried Pawz, but I too was concerned about them cutting off circulation. So I now use regular party balloons that I chop off below the “neck.” They’re very thin and I usually get only one, or at most two, walks out of any single balloon because they get punctured with toenails, or ripped from general use. But for us, the main problem is the very painful, burning chemical de-icers that the city uses to treat the streets – as well as the super-caustic blue ice melt that some businesses use to treat their sidewalks. Our dogs sail through those without any pain if they have on their paw balloons. Yay.
Getting the paw balloons on IS a chore, like getting on a tight swimming cap. But our dogs are way more tolerant of the process than I would expect – perhaps because they do know that somehow, the balloons make the walk more comfortable? Not sure. And because they are so light, there is LOT less of an adjustment period for the dogs. Last thing, if you get the dogs used to it, the paw balloons can work as a temporary solution for helping a dog with mobility issues navigate slippery floors (until you can buy tons of yoga mats, as we did…).
Thanks for this post!
Nannette Morgan says
I second dogbooties.com. I’ve used them in the Sierras when we used to go mushing with our Siberian Club. I’ve used Pawz for my senior dogs so that they don’t slip on the wooden floors when they started having a hard time getting around. I noticed that sometimes the supposedly correct size for the paw will slip off as they walk around “flapping” the “balloons” though. Another important thing to keep in mind with paws for a situation like Seniors is that you should take them off at least once a day to let the paws breathe otherwise fungal infections ensue. I typically took them off at bedtime when they would be asleep. I hope that helps.
Jess Chipley-Trudeau says
A few years back, I ordered the finished top booties from Mountain Ridge, and I love them. They’ve worked better than any others that I’ve tried so far. (The others I’ve purchased may be more for rocky surfaces, etc., but they’re also cumbersome, and seem difficult to get a good fit.) It’s easier to put the booties on the dog if the dog is lying down on its side, and you may need to keep the dog entertained with a “leave it” treat (another training opportunity!), or a Kong. After getting the velcro fastened as tightly as comfortably possible (for the dog) around the dog’s leg, I rub my thumb across the velcro once more, so it sticks together even more. That seems to keep them on longer – but that also depends on the terrain, moisture underfoot, and the dog. The booties don’t seem to come off as easily since I started doing this. Also, winter and summer I’ve been using coconut oil (solid) for their paws (can be found in the cooking aisles), but have recently added Paw Jam, by Wilder Dog. I’m really liking it, so the coconut oil is moving to the “back up/light needs” position.
Heather says
The key to success with booties for me has been the closures. The stretch velcro used on the sled dog style booties lets you have them snug enough to stay on without being uncomfortable. I’ve used various of cordura and fleece from http://www.dogbooties.com –same style as the cordura boots you linked. They often get damp, but we’ve never had sore or damaged paws as a result.
I like adding a layer of silicone caulk over my booties (fleece ones for most warmth) to make them more durable, grippy and water resistant, but you can buy the same style booties with some sort of grippy material. I just haven’t tried those yet but they look stiffer.
In my experience boots like muttlucks where the strap pulls through a plastic o-ring to tighten are uncomfortable for dogs with dewclaws and difficult to keep on. Snow also accumulates around the cuff at the top and gets really cold.
Frances says
Here it has been Pees Pees Pees… Poppy, after a year on steroids for liver failure, has succumbed to a dose of cystitis which is proving difficult to shift. Reading through all the responses makes me very glad that we live in a temperate climate – if I had to get boots on her as well as a leash we would have had even more “too late” puddles!
Rebecca Rice says
Having owned ex-racing greyhounds, one thing that they get, and that is worth mentioning just in case for other breeds, is corns. These are apparently almost entirely confined to the sighthounds, but…
Corns generally appear like small flat circles in the dog’s paw. They are hardened growths of keratin, and the description of their impact on the dog is generally “imagine having a rock in your shoe that you can’t get out”. The treatment for them is varied (there are entire communities dedicated to talking about what did and didn’t work for their dog!), but the most common one is taking a tool of some kind and digging them out, often combined with booties to help lessen the pressure on the pads. In serious cases, toe amputation may be the only option. Here’s a link to some pictures of what they look like: https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/corns-in-dogs-september-2018/3/
MVRainer says
I live this post too! Funny, when I picked my Kuvasz out of her litter, one criterion I used was that I wanted all of her pads to be solid black. 🤪 Now I’m glad. I’m her nine years I never had a problem until this winter, when after moving I was confronted by unavoidable salt. As a Kuvasz she is very stubborn, VERY Oopinionated about her feet, and has really big feet. I have looked at boots online, but remain unconvinced she would suffer wearing them. I would love advice on XL dog boots!
Bruce says
Oddly, I happen to know EXACTLY what Red Dog’s paw pads look like. At least what most of her paw pads looked like five years ago, because I took a close-up paw-pad picture with a macro lens while she was sleeping. Still one of my favorite dog pictures.
Glad to hear that Skip and Maggie are doing well. Frostbite is not much of a concern this far south, especially when Red Dog goes to great lengths to avoid any exposure to cold weather. When we do go outside in the cold, frostbite would have to move pretty fast to keep up with her lol.
Karol says
Looks like you have plenty of boot information to last you awhile but I’m here to talk about other dog parts that can suffer from frostbite.
I have Spinoni – large hunting dogs bred to hunt birds in the rough & cold mountains of Italy. They’re known for being rugged and have a layer of fat under the skin to help keep them warm. I still check their feet and put boots on them when there’s a chance we’ll encounter salted sidewalks.
Yet I didn’t think about other body bits until one of my intact males was lounging on his back and I saw that he had suffered frostbite on his scrotum. Yikes! Poor dude. He seems to be okay. The frostbite area (dime size) is scabbed over and doesn’t seem to be bothering him.
I won’t be putting longjohns on him for future hiking adventures but we’ll stay inside when the temperatures dip too low.
Joyce Derenne says
This was very timely – with the more extreme cold we’ve had lately, we dug out the dog boots only to find that they do not stay on our younger Golden. I’ve been searching to find a new set of boots, and I appreciate the leads you provided.
A bit off the subject, but I’d love to know what you are using to Dremel your dogs’ nails – in terms of the attachment. I’ve used sanding bands on my Dremel, and more recently, a metal diamond accessory with a concave surface. Just curious as to your experiences and preferences in grinding your dogs’ nails.
Gaurav Masurkar says
https://youtu.be/cRBn56yJIBw
Watch this video
Lady is brave
Do u take training course to became dog behaviourist?
Trisha says
I couldn’t watch the entire video, Gaurav, because there were so many times the dog was communicating extreme discomfort and I found myself just waiting for the inevitable bite. Eeeeps.
LisaH says
https://www.facebook.com/jason.billesberger/videos/10158172541176748/
Seems to fit 😉
Nikita says
Thanks for the helpful article on paw frostbite. I live in Siberia, and this information is very relevant to us! If you have the slightest suspicion that your pet is frozen, you need to get them into a house or other warm room that is close by right away.
Melanie Hawkes says
My parents puppy raised my previous assistance dog, a yellow Lab named Happy. He was definitely happy, and scratched their wooden floors quite badly by running in the house. They had the floors re-done, and didn’t want him in the house again after that, so they bought him some boots. He walked like he was swimming! It was funny but not fair on him. Thank goodness we don’t have to worry about snow in Australia, Upton won’t even go outside to toilet if it’s raining! I only walk him when the temperature isn’t too high and for short periods of time. It’s a good reminder to check his pads more often though!
And that cake looked amazing! Hope you ate it all. Can you share the recipe please?
Ayn says
Wow great article about frostbite on dog paws. I had no idea and frankly would not have thought it possible. We rarely get enough snow for frostbite. I do however take my dog to the beach when it is below freezing. The sand feels like ice. We do not usually stay more than an hour and chasing whatever birds are still hanging around. In the summer, it is the hot summer sun burning his feet on the sand and asphalt trails. I always take him before 9 am. More important, I test the temperature on my own tender feet first. However, I see so many people that bring their dogs later in the day when the sand and asphalt is scalding. You see them hopping across the burning surface but paying no attention to their dog that is high stepping as well. When they reach the towel or step off the asphalt, they often do not allow their dog the same comfort. Almost every I politely make the observation that their seems to be showing some discomfort. Sometimes it is welcome, sometime it is not.
When my old girl, Katydid, had to have a toe amputated due to cancer about ten years. I looked everywhere for some kind of waterproof bootie. The Paws and another velcrowed boot were the only two option. The Paws would up the best for me too. I wrapped her foot in surgical cotton and a waterproof gauze then put on the boot. I found that getting it just one size bigger made it easier to get on but still snug enough not to come off when she went for short walks that often ended longer than they were supposed. (She was a trooper). Although I hope never to need them again, it is great to see that there are now other options.
Ayn says
Yikes! Thanks for understanding the spelling and grammar errors. I need more coffee (I am trying to cut down) Better yet, I need some of that chocolate cake.
Robin says
It is “Ruffwear” boots all the way for my dog! He has an odd toe pad condition (not sure if it is related to his having Addison’s disease) His toes have no ‘nap’ to them, they are smooth, flat (not plump) and very hard. As such they offer no traction and in the winter crack deeply enough to make him lame. I tried the “Paws” booties and as far as the most waterproof boot they are heads above the rest. However, they tear quickly and easily, nothing you can trust on a winter woods hike. I was thrilled to find Ruffwear boots for him. The secret to having them stay firmly on is to smooth the pleat in the front when cinching them up. They have started selling the boots in pairs because not every dog’s front and hind feet are the same size. These boots give my dog winter freedom and hiking opportunities he would otherwise not be able to enjoy. The one drawback is he gets a small ‘rub’ on the dew claw pad on one front leg. I feel it is small price to pay for the world these boots open up for him.