A dog’s paws are what they use to get around and make us smile. “I have paws”, ‘sweet feet’ and other jokes some dog owners make when talking about their pets’ paws. And it’s nice, but the care of them is not always talked about. It needs to be.
Dog pads
You can not talk only about the fact that the paws are needed for the dog to move around. The fact is that the pads of the paws have an important role in nature. There are a lot of capillaries and vessels in them. They are necessary for thermoregulation. Without such a strong and important mechanism, dogs could simply die.
Yes, nature is always clever with its resources and capabilities. A dog uses his paws to control his body temperature, uses the pads and for cushioning when jumping.
Winter and the dog’s paws
The problem is that winter temperatures are very cold. It can damage not only the paws themselves, but also the pads. The ice and cold can cause cuts and wounds. This is a very bad thing.
It is also not uncommon for a dog to get frostbite on his paws in the winter. The pads start to crack. The pet feels discomfort. If the blood flow in the vessels is disturbed, it is dangerous for the pet’s health.
During winter, sand or chemicals may be sprinkled on the roads to keep people from slipping. However, the situation is that they have a negative effect on paws. The reagents corrode the skin. This problem is faced by many people who keep dogs. So how do you protect your dog in winter from weather conditions and reagents? There are points that I have written about next.
Pet’s claws
Of course, and in the summer it is important to trim the nails, but in the winter it should be done more often. The fact is that claws on snow and ice do not sharpen, and the dog emphasizes on the fingers, not on the “heel”. So it turns out that the traumatism of paws in winter increases to a great extent.
When the procedure is carried out, keep a claw cutter (scissors are dangerous to use) and hydrogen peroxide (can be replaced with a weak solution of manganese). Claws are cut in this way: slightly at an incline, no more than 2-3 mm. It is important to do carefully. Did it happen that a blood vessel was damaged? Peroxide or manganese solution is used to treat the nails. It is important to trim them carefully.
Washing paws
Though winter, though summer – it is always necessary to wash the paws after walks. Usually use special products, but in winter, if there is no sand and dirt, you can wash and just water.
The main thing is to wash out all the dirt. Clean paws – the basis of health. This is not just said for nothing. The moment is important to consider. Water should be warm, but not hot. Do not forget: after the frost, you can not give sharp temperature changes, because they are dangerous for the structure of the paws.
It is important to use clean cloths to wipe the paws after washing. It is worth preparing rags in advance, and it is important to wash them periodically. This will influence the absence of infections.
Shoes for dogs
Small dogs, and lately also big ones, choose winter boots. They protect the paws from frostbite, cuts and reagents. Only it is worth choosing the right shoes. It should not squeeze, but also the foot in it must be fixed securely (without overstretching).
The dog needs some time to get used to the shoes. The process of habituation will take some time, and this point indicates that the procedure of habituation should be started in advance, and not in winter. It’s better that way.
However, it makes sense to look for shoes. Sometimes it is realistic to customize them. Yes, it’s an investment, but protecting your dog’s feet is more important than spending money. At least that’s the case for me. Again, you can get by with a cheaper remedy. I will write about this further on.
Alternative option
It happens so: shoes can not be purchased due to certain circumstances, or the dog does not get used to them (although this is a controversial point). Then you can take an alternative option.
It is about the fact that there are different variants of wax for dog feet. It is applied according to the instructions. The wax protects the dog’s pads and toes quite reliably. It makes sense to choose it when there are no shoes.
It is only important to choose products that are not expired. It is better to take a wax so that its expiration date was with a reserve: for example, there were at least 3 months before its “exit”.
It also makes sense to act as follows: apply wax not before the walk, but a little in advance, so that it forms a protective layer. This is important. Then you can judge about the normal protection of the dog’s feet from environmental factors.
Recommendation
Often paws are traumatized because sharp pieces of luda get stuck between the toes in the fur. This can happen to any dog in winter, but those pets with long hair are particularly susceptible to this negative impact.
Here is a recommendation that helps to solve the problem. It is about carefully clipping the hair between the toes. This measure in winter is important. The paws will be less clogged with snow, and ice will not appear on them between the toes.
