Paws For Concern: Common Problems That Could Affect Your Dog's Paws

Your feet experience a great deal of stress and tension over time, so you may develop issues that require treatment from a food doctor. Unfortunately, your dog's paws will also experience some stress, requiring medical treatment even though they are unable to communicate their pain or discomfort. If you have a dog, pausing for a few moments to understand the possible dangers that may affect their paws is smart. Here are a few common problems that may affect your dog's paws.

Burns from Heat

Even though it is hot outdoors during certain seasons, your dog will still need to go out to use the bathroom and exercise. Taking your dog outdoors for just a few minutes in the summer season can lead to dangerous burns on their paws.

During the warmer months, the sun and outdoor temperature will heat up hard surfaces. Asphalt roads, concrete driveways, and even patios and decks can all heat up, making them too hot to touch or walk on. While you are able to protect your feet with shoes, your dog's paws will make excessive, painful contact with these hot surfaces, leading to potential burns.

To avoid burns, consider walking your dog only during the cooler times of the day, such as the early morning, evening, and at night. If your dog must go out during the heat of the day, allow them to walk on the grass only.

Invest in actual shoes that your dog can wear when walking outdoors during the warmer seasons. Wearing these shoes will require some adjustment time, but they are excellent options for protecting your dog's paws from discomfort and burns.

Burns from Cold

Your dog's paws will also be susceptible to burns and pain during the colder months.

If your dog walks on snow or ice without any paw protection, they may develop frostbite that can lead to dangerous infections. Also, walking in wintry precipitation can cause your dog to slip and fall, which may lead to a serious injury.

The salt added to the roads and other hard surfaces to melt snow and ice can also become a problem for your dog's paws. Excessive contact with this salt can cause a chemical burn on your dog's paws. To avoid this contact, walk your dog on grassy surfaces only. Or, make sure they wear special booties before going out when there is sleet, snow, or ice on the ground.

It is also beneficial to wash your dog's paws immediately after walking outdoors. Use warm water and a clean cloth to remove any snow, sleet, ice, and salt from your dog's paws. For more information, contact a company like Elizabethton Veterinary Clinic.


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