dog with blister betweeen toes.

Question
hi i have a 15 year old chocolate lab that has always licked at his toes.  but over the last couple of days he has developed some sort of blister on the top side of his front left foot.  this blister looks to be full of blood and is between his toes.  he doesn't seem to be in any discomfort.  he still walks okay other than his usual limp he has had for quite some time.  i attribute this to his age.  what could this be and is there anything i can do for him?  thanks

Answer
This could be many different things, but I would treat him the same way regardless of the cause.

It could be a reaction to boredom or stress.  If he's left alone a lot of the time with nothing to do, you might give him a Kong, a hollow toy made of hard rubber, which you stuff with tasty treats.  It will take him a long time to work the treats out.

I doubt that he would be reacting to stress for the first time at his age, unless something important has changed in his life.

It could be an allergy to food or an environmental pollutant.  Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to find out just what is provoking the reaction.

In any case, the best thing you can do for him is to strengthen his immune system.  Be sure he is eating the best food you can afford, and stay away from foods with flour and corn, as many dogs are allergic to gluten.  

If you are preparing a food for him, be sure he is getting plenty of meat and a balanced diet with vegetables.  Be sure to give him a multi-vitamin and mineral tablet, too.

Add some zinc, 250 mg a day, and copper, about 30 mg a day.  He should be getting Vitamin C, too - To find the optimum dose, give him 250 mg for three days, then add another 250 mg for three days, and continue like this until you notice his stool getting soft.  The optimum dose is the amount just before his stool turned soft.

Fish oil is also good, as a source to Omega 3 and 6.

If he's limping, he may have a problem with hip dysplasia, which is common in large dogs like labs, or arthritis.  If the vet confirms this, add glucosamine and condroitin, and see if you can find someone to teach you how to massage him for relief.  Acupuncture can also be very helpful.

And try to keep him slender, which can be an enormous problem with labs.  Swimming would be a terrific exercise if he limps.

Labs are great dogs, aren't they!  

Cordially,

Susan