# pads are peeling



## Minnieski

Hi,

I noticed that the pads on Minnie's feet are peeling, and that it hurts her if I touch the peeling part. This hasn't happened before, and I don't know why it is. Can anyone tell me how to treat it? We go for 2 daily walks and some of it is on paved sidewalks, some on grass. It doesn't seem to bother her when she's walking or playing, just when I touch it. She's normally pretty good about me touching her feet and clipping her nails, so I know it's bothering her. She currently gets a flax oil supplement every day to help with her dry skin. Maybe I should increase the dosage?? I don't know.

Thanks!


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## Daisy1986

There are tons of creams to rub on their pads. 

I cannot remember the name of what I have. You can look online OR go to the grooming section of a pet store.


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## rucker105

Zeke had this problem a couple months ago and he started limping. I feared the worst and was so relieved that it was his pads peeling! I kept him off the pavement and they healed on their own within a couple days. 

I've heard of people using a bit of neosporin but as Kelly mentioned, there are products available at the pet store.


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## BlackPuppy

Has she been swimming lately? Running hard on water soaked pads can really do a number on them. Balto's pads were cut and bleeding from him running on a beach too hard. 

And Ciana used to abrade the skin off her pads by running around sheep for 20 minutes on hard dry dirt. And that is with dry pads. 

Good thing is, they heel quickly.


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## Mozart396

Dry air (winter heating) and cold winters were causes of Mozarts paw problems. I used some vaseline to keep them oiled, but he was tracking oil paw prints everywhere. I switched to a hand lotion (lubriderm) for mainenance. If they were cut, then I would use neosporin.


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## LisaT

I think most of the time this is from external issues mentioned above. It happened a lot to Indy when she was younger, but they toughened up.

However, there are medical issues that can cause this (autoimmune stuff), and it might be connected to some liver issues.

My first guess is that it's warm/hot pavement on pads that haven't toughened up.


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## Minnieski

Yeah, the pavement here does get pretty hot, but we thought she'd be ok because her pads seemed pretty tough and we walk every day. We bought her some boots for the summer months when you could fry an egg on the sidewalk so that she won't burn her pads, but the boots are kind of big now and it's not that hot yet. It's been in the 80's, but not like the middle of August when it's 95 every day. We also walk early in the morning when the pavement is cooler. They're not raw or anything, just peeling.


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## BowWowMeow

You can get paw protector stuff. I think the boots will be too hot for her in the summer! 

This stuff is good. I think you can also get it from Drs. Foster & Smith: http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Dog-Boots-Pavement-Wax-Based/dp/B0002IJQDC

This looks good too: http://www.tuffoot.com/about/dogs.htm


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## wildo

Bumping this old thread- good info in here! Pimg started limping on her front left leg a couple days ago. Just tonight I realized her she has a pad on that foot peeling! What a relief! It seems sensitive and she doesn't like me touching it. I'll take the suggestions in this thread and put some ointment on it.

Question- hers has some skin hanging off. Are there nerves in there? Should I not cut it off? Should I let it go? In the picture below, you can see the peeling ring right at the center of the pad with the skin hanging off at the bottom of the pad:


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## Shaina

You can definitely cut them off. My girl had it happen and I took her to the vets office I work at, he cut it off, NO PAIN!! So later another one did the same thing and I cut them off at home, no problem at all.

Petco had those dog boots on sale for $6.00. I did that and wrapped her feet in socks.


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## wildo

Thanks for the info! (And what a pretty dog!)


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## Shaina

No problem, and thanks a bunch! She's a cute little monster.


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## GatorDog

I believe another poster here, Lies, used tuffoot for her dog Pan when preparing for the AD and it worked for them.


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## Courtney

I really like Mushers Secret. We are outside all year and this helps!

Amazon.com: Musher's Secret Pet Paw Protector Wax, 7-Ounce: Pet Supplies


Mushers Secret-all season paw protection for your dog


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## Shaina

Going to buy that now, thanks! Ive never heard of it, but it should come in handy. Now that it's happened once, I don't want to make her go through it again!


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