Winter Bloody Paws

Well, after running and running and running this morning in the snow and ice, Quigley and Maggie had bloody paws (all 4!). It is coming from the parts of their pads that have hair coming from them. There are not any actual cuts and they are not in any pain, but is more like a 'rug-burn gone bad' under the pad hair. So, 2 questions:

1. What can we do to help this to not happen?
2. What can we do to treat the pads?

We are thinking that our dry house might have something to do with it. We have a humidifier in our bedroom, but now think that one for the main part of the house may be needed. We also had the idea that the Sheepies may need their own winter boots now that this happened.
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BOOTS! We finally bought ours boots this year and I LOVE them!

To treat them...I would keep them clean, liquid bandage if needed, and socks to keep them from licking.
Shave the hair. :wink:

Seriously.

If the snow is really icy and crusty you risk paw burn/cuts no matter what, in which case boots help. If you find any that actually stay on for more than 3 seconds after they turn on the afterburners, let me know, please!

Kristine
Boots are the best but it's such a pain to put them on (and keep them on) more than one playing dog! Make sure the hair is cut as close as you can and get yourself some Musher's Secret. Rub some of that on their paws before they go out and that helps to keep snowballs from forming as easily. It might have been snowballs ripping off and causing the bleeding, too.
ButtersStotch wrote:
Boots are the best but it's such a pain to put them on (and keep them on) more than one playing dog! Make sure the hair is cut as close as you can and get yourself some Musher's Secret. Rub some of that on their paws before they go out and that helps to keep snowballs from forming as easily. It might have been snowballs ripping off and causing the bleeding, too.


Our boots are a pain to get on, but they do not come off. Ours are hunting boots, they come up very high, velcro on, and have two fasteners. They cost a small fortune, but they make a world of difference.
Definitely trim or shave the hairs. I just had to do Chewie's again last week - he was getting ice balls in there and gnawing and crunching!

Also, it is better as they track in less snow. And better if they get in an area that is salted - it won't wick up in there so bad and irritate so much until you can get it washed off.
Linda, which boots do you have that come up high? I have the mutlucks and they came right off when jumping into a snow drift. I tried the leg warmers and they came right off to.

I also use the mushers. Someone told me in a pinch to spray regular Pan cooking spray on the paws.

The salt can really tear up the paws. Hope your babies are healing okay.
Ashley wrote:
Linda, which boots do you have that come up high? I have the mutlucks and they came right off when jumping into a snow drift. I tried the leg warmers and they came right off to.

I also use the mushers. Someone told me in a pinch to spray regular Pan cooking spray on the paws.

The salt can really tear up the paws. Hope your babies are healing okay.


My name is Jennifer actually, not Linda :wink: . My quote is by Linda Sheives-just like to give credit where credit is due.

I can't find a picture of them online...so I will take some when I get home. We got them at Cabela's in the hunting dog section so they are bright orange! They go up to the knee cap, velcro all the way from the foot to the knee, and have two buckles to secure them on. Oliver and Lucy play in theirs with no problems. We also walk in them with boots on due to the salt concern.
jcc9797 wrote:
Ashley wrote:
Linda, which boots do you have that come up high? I have the mutlucks and they came right off when jumping into a snow drift. I tried the leg warmers and they came right off to.

I also use the mushers. Someone told me in a pinch to spray regular Pan cooking spray on the paws.

The salt can really tear up the paws. Hope your babies are healing okay.


My name is Jennifer actually, not Linda :wink: . My quote is by Linda Sheives-just like to give credit where credit is due.

I can't find a picture of them online...so I will take some when I get home. We got them at Cabela's in the hunting dog section so they are bright orange! They go up to the knee cap, velcro all the way from the foot to the knee, and have two buckles to secure them on. Oliver and Lucy play in theirs with no problems. We also walk in them with boots on due to the salt concern.


Oh, I tried them for Chewie! They are real nice boots. Unfortunately they don't make them big (wide) enough to fit him. I could stuff his feet in (barely), but they didn't even begin to close up.
got sheep wrote:
Oh, I tried them for Chewie! They are real nice boots. Unfortunately they don't make them big (wide) enough to fit him. I could stuff his feet in (barely), but they didn't even begin to close up.


Yes, they're built primarily for the sporting breeds, most of which are much lighter boned/smaller pawed than most OES from show lines. I ran into a similar problem with something as simple as some "ankle" bands with bells on them for Christmas. I gave them to Jan to put on her rescue dog because no way could I get them on Sybil.

If they really work that well and there was a demand for them though... :lmt:

However, surely you must know what works, from sledding and all?

Kristine
oops, sorry Jennifer :oops: I just saw the name at the bottom of the post and assumed it was you! :lol:

I love Cabelas and will look at them. however my male has the big wide foot thing going too! But the female should be okay.
Mad Dog wrote:
got sheep wrote:
Oh, I tried them for Chewie! They are real nice boots. Unfortunately they don't make them big (wide) enough to fit him. I could stuff his feet in (barely), but they didn't even begin to close up.


Yes, they're built primarily for the sporting breeds, most of which are much lighter boned/smaller pawed than most OES from show lines. I ran into a similar problem with something as simple as some "ankle" bands with bells on them for Christmas. I gave them to Jan to put on her rescue dog because no way could I get them on Sybil.

If they really work that well and there was a demand for them though... :lmt:

However, surely you must know what works, from sledding and all?

Kristine


well, of course! :wink: They were some of the 1st ones I tried way back when, years ago....
If you have a light boned dog they would be a nice option :0)
I just ordered what I needed to make boots for my guys. Morgan has so much bone its hard to find anything really sturdy that really fits him that is tall. and since i was ordering cordura I got to get a nice color and nice coordinating waterproof fabric for a coat ;)

I have made fleece ones and its nice to get a custom fit.
kerry wrote:
I just ordered what I needed to make boots for my guys. Morgan has so much bone its hard to find anything really sturdy that really fits him that is tall. and since i was ordering cordura I got to get a nice color and nice coordinating waterproof fabric for a coat ;)

I have made fleece ones and its nice to get a custom fit.


we need pictures - you may have a cottage industry!
got sheep wrote:
kerry wrote:
I just ordered what I needed to make boots for my guys. Morgan has so much bone its hard to find anything really sturdy that really fits him that is tall. and since i was ordering cordura I got to get a nice color and nice coordinating waterproof fabric for a coat ;)

I have made fleece ones and its nice to get a custom fit.


we need pictures - you may have a cottage industry!


Maybe it will susidize Morgan's vet bills 8O :roll: 8O

there will be pictures ;) Lorie is promised the first pair out side of the family since she is having trouble with the boots she has for Jazz.

OH QUESTION!!

Thos eof you who use boots - do you prefer elastic with the velcro wrap or just velcro? ALl my boots at home (mutlaks included) only have velcro but all the online patterns call for elastic between the velcor pieces. I am torn as I see pros and cos to both approaches and am looking for feed back.
elastic
ChSheepdogs wrote:
elastic


but make sure it is a fairly stiff, strong elastic. If it's too stretrchy it's a bad thing.

And, the kondos booties I have now are double strips of velcro (one right above the other) and there is no elastic at all - and they stay on wonderfully. I think it is more design - they cinch in tight at the space right between pads. In the pastern (wrist) area, so they are tight at the smallest part of the dog's anatomy and don't budge. If they had elastic I think it would be less snug - so????
got sheep wrote:
ChSheepdogs wrote:
elastic


but make sure it is a fairly stiff, strong elastic. If it's too stretrchy it's a bad thing.

And, the kondos booties I have now are double strips of velcro (one right above the other) and there is no elastic at all - and they stay on wonderfully. I think it is more design - they cinch in tight at the space right between pads. In the pastern (wrist) area, so they are tight at the smallest part of the dog's anatomy and don't budge. If they had elastic I think it would be less snug - so????


My boots are all the same way and stay on very well - I think elastic could get caught more easily on things (for active outdoor dogs)

I need to think this through

But thanks Marilyn and Dawn
Josh went out and got some booties for the dogs and the first time they had them on, they were PI$$ED!!!! But now, they are used to getting them strapped on before we go out for our walks.

What I am worried about now is that they slide all over the road and the snow and I am afraid they are going to blow-out an ACL or pop something else out of place. Should I not worry about it or get pet insurance?

We have had no bloody or cracked paws since the booties!
wendycz23 wrote:
Josh went out and got some booties for the dogs and the first time they had them on, they were PI$$ED!!!! But now, they are used to getting them strapped on before we go out for our walks.

What I am worried about now is that they slide all over the road and the snow and I am afraid they are going to blow-out an ACL or pop something else out of place. Should I not worry about it or get pet insurance?

We have had no bloody or cracked paws since the booties!


Wendy - do they have the plastic/vinyl/pleather (or whatever that stuff is!) on the soles? I found those slip the most. The fleece only really slips on ice, or the really bad snow covered ice - that they would probably slip on barefoot too.
Yeah, they are the kind with the pleather material and they slide all over. They aren't so bad for walking normal, but they like to run and run and run with them and I'm afraid of a $3,000 ACL repair bill. :evil:

Is there a better one? We got ours at Mills Fleet Farm?
wendycz23 wrote:
Yeah, they are the kind with the pleather material and they slide all over. They aren't so bad for walking normal, but they like to run and run and run with them and I'm afraid of a $3,000 ACL repair bill. :evil:

Is there a better one? We got ours at Mills Fleet Farm?


I agree - when I used them on Chewie I was terrified. Ended up only using them at shows to potty him on lead, to keep his toes clean. :(

I use these - http://www.kondosoutdoors.com/mm5/merch ... y_Code=DB7
They are a thick black fleece.

These are them in use:

Image

Image

They are going to slip more than barefoot, but they allow the pad to conform to the ground and they can get a little grip with their toenails too.
I am not experienced with that wet icky white stuff, but maybe another suggestion if a dog wont keep booties on isnt there something like a paw wax called somthing like Mushers wax to help give a bit of protection in the snow to protect the paws?
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