Protecting Your Senior Dog’s Paws in Winter

It’s cold out there! The cold air dries out the skin and burns
the flesh of the most hearty winter lover. If you have a dog,
you may have considered their comfort by providing a doggie
coat. But what toll does the ice and snow take on their paws?

As a dog ages, he will become more susceptible to the elements.
We found this out with our dog, Tikki a year or two ago. It was
a bitter cold morning with a subzero temperature and
unbelievable wind-chill. Tikki trotted off across our yard to do
his business in private, as was his custom. A moment or two
later, he sat down and raised a front paw. We were used to
seeing this behavior as he does this in the summer when he has a
prickle stuck in his paw. He will sit down and wait until we
come and take it out. But there were no thistles on the snow
pack. A moment later, when he lifted his other paw we knew his
feet were hurting from the extreme cold and coaxed him toward
the house. Half way to the door, Tikki stopped and sat down and
lifted all four paws in the air, waiting for someone to carry
him inside.

Tikki was raised in Minnesota and never exhibited this type of
behavior in the cold before, but at 12 years of age, his feet
couldn’t take it anymore. We now monitor the temperature before
taking Tikki out. On extreme cold days, he isn’t allowed to run
and romp for as long as usual. He has frequent, but very quick,
trips outdoors instead.

This experience did prompt us to research how to take care of
our dog’s paws in the winter weather. Most discomfort is caused
by one of two problems. Ice build-up and salt.

The ice builds up in between the toes on your dog’s feet as
they walk through the snow. The warm pads of your dog’s feet
will warm the snow and cause it to melt. This water refreezes in
the fur between the toes and builds up into uncomfortable
snowballs that would feel similar to a rock in your shoe. In
Tikki’s case, it probably was similar to the prickles he gets in
the summer.

To avoid this, limit your dog’s exposure to cold weather, trim
excess hair between the toes and consider all weather dog
booties. There are many types and sizes of these boots. They are
designed to be durable, comfortable and easy to put on.

The other problem that can cause trouble for a senior dog’s
paws in the winter is the exposures to chemicals and salt used
to melt ice. Again the wet fur between the toes will trap the
salt as your dog heads up to the front door. This salt or
chemicals will become irritating and dry the skin. Often the dog
will try to chew or lick the paw causing further irritation as
well as getting the chemicals into your dog’s system.

The best remedy for this is to avoid the use of salt and
chemicals where you take your dog in and out of your home. If
this is not possible, rinse your dog’s paws after they have been
exposed to salt and chemicals or try dog booties.

Copyright 2006 Dave Eckholm/Old Dog Paws