This column is for our older canine pals that only get dearer to our hearts with each year.
Our senior dogs often slip and slide on our hardwood floors and also have trouble getting up, as their legs splay out from under them. Arthritis and age affects their balance.
It is also winter, older dogs’ paw pads already are dry due to aging, and the dry winter air only makes it worse.
Their paw pads thicken and get hard and dry, similar to calluses on our heels. It is called “hyperkeratosis.”
Otherwise young healthy dogs may also develop horned growths on their pads that put pressure on adjacent pads and make it painful to walk. The growths can also cause erosions and cracks at the junction of the pads with haired skin. Your veterinarian can trim away these horned growths.
The best way to treat your pal from sliding on your floors and relieve their foot discomfort is to hydrate their pads with warm water soaks or compresses.
Keratin, which forms the thickened calloused areas of the pads, easily absorbs water. After hydration, dry the paws and apply O’Keeffe’s Healthy Feet Foot Cream, which holds in the moisture and softens the pads — and is nontoxic for dogs.
Then place socks on your pals’ four paws. If your dog attempts initially to chew and eat these socks, put on an Elizabethan collar for a day and night, while they are wearing the socks. The softening cream should remain on your dog’s pads for at least 24 hours.
I’ve found that EXPAWLORER makes the best anti-slip dog socks. They’re double sided, with adjustable Velcro straps, and are waterproof, breathable and available in a number of colors. They have strong grips for traction on hardwood, linoleum and tile floors. Follow directions for measuring your dog’s paws.
The next day, remove the socks and bathe your dog or just wash their feet. When your pal is dry, trim nails and clip some of the hair between the pads and then put stickers on the bottom of the pads to help with traction.
Some of the best paw protectors are made by VALFRID. These anti-slip grips keep your dogs from slipping and help keep their legs under themselves so they can get up.
They have hypoallergenic certified adhesive, are breathable, easy to remove, and protect feet on hard gravel surfaces and on hot asphalt. They fit sizes from small (4 pounds) to XXXL (greater than 80 pounds). They also come in sets of six (24 paw protectors) or sets of 10 (40 paw protectors).
It is best to clip the hair between your pal’s pads because when you do remove the paw protectors they tend to stick to the hair, which can be irritating to your pal.
This may seem like a lot of work but your dog will move around the house easily and feel so much better. It takes less time than our pedicures. And you can only have so many throw rugs, which can be a tripping hazard for humans.
Some of our senior pals — especially our Brachycephalic (squished faced dogs) such as bull dogs, Frenchies and Boston terriers — have a condition in which keratin forms on the top of their noses. Instead of a moist, soft and shiny nose, theirs become hard, dry and rough.
Nose Butter can help. Put a small amount on the top of their nose and the shea butter mixture will moisturize it. The butter is nontoxic so your dog can lick its nose without any problem.