Paw pedicure

CARING FOR YOUR DOG’S PAWS

When a horse presents with lameness, one of the first places every owner and vet will check is the hoof. This is because the age-old adage of ‘No foot, no horse’ rings true in the equine species.

The same rule, however, applies for all creatures, including our beloved canine companions. If a dog is presenting with an area of tension in the body, such as the back or neck, it is usually a good idea to start by checking the paws.

PAWS ARE IMPORTANT

Paw care is an area of canine welfare that is gaining increasing attention, and as with most things, it is easier to prevent issues or deal with them early before they get bad enough to cause lameness and require veterinary intervention.

Problems with paws can be attributed to a variety of factors such as puncture wounds from thorns, embedded grass seeds, attached ticks, mite infestations, infections (fungal and bacterial), allergies, cysts, lumps, growths, wounds and even something as simple as overgrown or broken claws.

Whilst these things may not seem to be significant issues in isolation, the slightest imbalance can, over time, cause sizeable problems. Suddenly, a simple paw issue has created a dog who is sore to touch in multiple areas across his entire body.

Once the dog gets to the stage where long term compensation for his paw problem has created sore muscles in places such as the back, it can take a long time to undo the issue. As an added challenge, in most of these cases working on the back problem itself won’t actually make the dog more comfortable. Instead, additional therapeutic modalities will be required to help the dog use the initially affected limb normally to take the pressure off the other muscles that are being used to compensate. Only once the gait is more even will the pain resolve.

AN ADDED PROBLEM

Dogs, like most animals, will try and cover up illness, lameness or weakness to prevent being seen as the weakest one in the group. While this would serve the species well in the wild, it does not help us when trying to spot health issues in our dogs.

NOTE

It is common with domestic animals that when they sustain an injury or gait altering issue, the new way of moving can become a habit. This can be continued even long after the injury or problem has gone. Unfortunately, when the new altered gait becomes a habit, it can be more difficult to return to normal. This is because (unlike when the problem first occurred) there is no pain, so it becomes less about removing pain to allow the movement to return to normal and instead becomes a retraining process.

SIGNS OF A PAW ISSUE

Depending on the nature of the issue in the paw, the dog will commonly do one of two things. They will either walk differently and change their gait, whilst still using all four limbs, or if they feel it is necessary, they will hold the affected limb up entirely and take all weight off it altogether. While both of these mechanisms cause compensatory problems, they cause them in different areas and can change the rehabilitation schedule and treatments required.

GAIT CHANGE

A change in gait is normally how we as humans first see a problem with the dog.

How the gait is being altered to cope will determine how the rest of the body reacts and is forced to change in compensation. Some dogs will stand more on their toes, taking weight off the stopper pad or vice versa, almost sinking back to take the weight off the toes. Some dogs will weight bear on one side of the paw more than the other, and some will simply place the paw down but limp on it, so the weight is only on that paw for a short period of time.

If the dog takes on these coping mechanisms, it may be very obvious to see, or it may only be noticed by a trained eye. As soon as you notice the change, speak to your vet, as the quicker you can resolve the issue, the less likely there are to be compensatory issues.

In the case of compensatory issues, once the primary problem in the paw has been identified and addressed, the task now becomes how to return the gait to normal. This can be done in various ways and usually employs a variety of strategies.

LIMB HOLDING

With some paw issues, the dog may be in so much pain that they don’t place any weight on the paw at all. Nonweight bearing on a limb for a prolonged period can have serious consequences for the rest of the body and also create habits of movement that are hard to break. The only positive in this case is that it is straightforward to detect, so treatment can be sought promptly.

However, if the problem does go on for a long time, there is no quick fix to retrain a dog to use a limb again.

A NOTE ON LIMB HOLDING

All limbs have two sets of muscles, those that flex it and those that extend it. When a dog holds a limb up, there is a constant strain on the muscles that flex the leg as the leg is held in a flexed position all of the time. This, in turn, also means that the muscles that would cause the leg to extend start to waste, as they don’t get used. Reequilibrating these muscles once the paw problem is resolved takes time and concerted effort!

WARNING!

Burns to paws can be a serious medical issue and require prompt veterinary attention. Burned paws may look red, blistered and swollen.

KEEPING PAWS HEALTHY

We, as animal owners, have a duty of care for our animals, and it is important to take notice of any deviations in gait or changes in behaviour before they result in serious problems.

Making a point of watching your dog move can reveal changes in gait that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Similarly, regularly inspecting the paws is a good habit to get into to make sure injuries don’t go unnoticed. It is usually advised to do these checks when the dog has come in from playing outside or been on a walk, as these are the times that they usually pick up an injury. It is good practice to make sure claws are always an appropriate length and intact with no cracks or splits. You should check for even paw wear and that the pads have no blisters, cuts or scrapes. You also need to look out for foreign bodies including ticks between the toes, thorns in pads, or grass seeds. Regular grooming sessions for dogs with long hair between the paw pads are also recommended. Breeds such as spaniels should have this hair kept short, especially in winter, to prevent burrs from forming here and causing discomfort.

It is also advised to take precautions to reduce the risk of any paw trauma. For instance, check before walking on hot tarmac or sand as this can burn the pads off the paws altogether! Also, look out for dry paws, as these can crack and bleed and cause discomfort. Natural paw balms are very useful in sorting out dry paws before they become an issue.

NAIL ISSUES

• Long toenails: Long toenails are common and can have lots of negative consequences for your dog. Long nails can make it more difficult for your dog to walk. When a dog’s nails contact hard ground, the hard surface pushes the nail back up into the nail bed creating pain for the dog, and this can put pressure on all the toe joints. Long nails also make it more likely for your dog to suffer from a fractured or torn nail.

• Ingrown nails: Nails that are not trimmed properly or naturally worn down by walking outside can become painful ingrown toenails.

• Torn nails: Torn or fractured nails occur when your dog catches their toenail on something. A common scenario is when a dog suddenly starts limping, and bleeding, and upon closer inspection, an injured nail is seen. Torn and fractured nails can be very painful and commonly bleed, so they are best treated by a vet.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

A paw problem may seem minor in the grand scheme of things, but the change in gait your dog inevitably develops as a consequence can cause major body issues if the issue is not resolved quickly. Paws are increasingly in the spotlight as a welfare issue because of these longer-term effects. Being proactive with paw checks and reactive the moment you notice an issue can prevent paw problems becoming a major concern for your dog.