News Letter - Pet foot care tips

Winter Foot Care Tips for Pets
By Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM,

http://vetmedicine.about.com

Winter boots are essential wear for humans to provide
traction and protection on snow and ice. Our pets need
special care and attention for their feet during harsh
weather, too. Learn how to minimize injury and
discomfort for your pet's paws and be aware of other
winter dangers.
Snow and Ice Balls
If your pet is going on a walk or hike with you where
there is lots of snow, ice balls can form between the paw
pads. This is the number one complaint of my dogs of
my life who have had lots of hair between the paw pads
that serves to collect the snow and form a nice hard ice
ball. Difficult to walk on! This can be helped by
trimming the hair a bit and even applying a small
amount of petroleum jelly or olive oil to the area prior to
the walk. Be sure to use an edible ointment/oil, as dogs
often lick their feet and ingest what was applied.
Another effective option are boots for pets. This may not
work for all pet personalities, but for dogs that will
tolerate a boot, this offers the ultimate protection
Salt and Deicers for Roads and Sidewalks
Salt and other ice melting granules or chemicals can
irritate your pet's paws. Pets often lick their paws when
wet or irritated, leading to possible toxicity by ingestion
of the ice melting substance. My pets also love eating
and licking the snow that falls off of boots, and if you
use (or have walked on) a deicer compound, your pet
will ingest that as well. Sand, gravel and non-clumping
cat litters are the safest option (in terms of not being
toxic) for traction on ice and snow. Use caution when
using any salt or chemical deicers and if at all possible,
buy "pet safe" brands. Be sure to rinse and dry your pet's
feet after being outside in snow and icy conditions.
Cut Paw Pads
Injuries happen from stepping on items obscured by
snow, sharp edges on ice, and sometimes from snow
toys and implements used to remove snow. First aid
treatment is to gently cleanse the wound with warm
water and a mild soap, and apply pressure to stop
bleeding. Paw pads are very thick and slow to heal; deep
cuts to the paw pads usually require sutures for proper
healing.