Taking Care Of Dog Calluses

Allergies, skin conditions, and zinc deficiencies can be some of the causes of calluses forming on dogs. To know why your dog has a callous you should consult a veterinarian. Having the right diagnoses is the first step in correcting any callus problem.

A fairly common place for a dog to form calluses is on its elbows. Elbow calluses do not generally pose a threat to your dog’s health. Calluses appear as a round, bald area of grayish looking skin on the elbow. The size of the callus may vary from small and barely noticeable to encompassing a large and visible area of the elbow. Medium to larger, short-haired breeds tend to be the most prone to these calluses as well as older dogs and dogs that are overweight.

What typically causes these calluses to form is when your dog’s elbow makes contact with the floor. Hard surfaces such as concrete, tile, hardwood flooring, and even carpets can with time cause the skin on the elbow to callus. When your dog is lying down or getting up, his body weight is resting on his elbows. This weight causes pressure to be placed on the elbows. Your dog’s elbows do not have much in the way of fat or muscle to act as padding between the bone and the skin, so any movement combined with the pressure of his body weight on the elbows against a hard floor will cause the skin to form a callus over time.

Once your dog has a callus it can be hard to get rid of. A common home remedy is to rub vitamin E in liquid form on the callus. This can help soften the callused skin. Make sure to rub it in until it is almost completely dry. You do not want your dog licking the vitamin E. keep him distracted until the vitamin E has had time to dry.

Providing your dog with a bed to rest on is a good way to help stop a callus from getting worse and can also aid in the healing process. There are numerous types of beds that can meet the needs and comfort preferences of your dog from orthopedic beds to fashionable beds that can match the decor of your room. There are even outdoor beds in case the offending floor happens to be an outside one. You can also use a throw in places where a dog bed might not be practical.

Having the right setup early on is one of the best ways to prevent your dog from forming calluses. If you have floors in your house that may lead to your dog forming calluses, or if your dog is of a size or age that makes him prone to forming calluses, providing him with the right bed that meets his needs both in comfort and padding for his elbows can reduce the chance of your dog forming any unsightly calluses.

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