It's Winter Time, Protect Those Paws!

February 18 2019, 0 Comments

One of the first issue to pets during the winter time is damage to paws due to deicers that are used to melt ice on driveways, roads, and sidewalks. Contact with these deicers can cause chemical burns on your pet paws. If you notice your pet is limping or continue to lick their paws then deicing products may be the cause of this issue. During the winter time, it's best to keep your pet off the sidewalk or snow whenever possible.

The second issue is accidental ingestion of deicers due to your pet constantly licking their paws or your boots. To prevent your dog from ingesting deicing salts it is recommending that you keep a shallow bowl of warm water and something to be used to wipe your boots and your dog’s paws when coming back inside during the winter.

The third issue during the winter is the ice balls that form between your pet toes due to the cold. To prevent this issue, it is recommended that you keep your pet's hair trimmed short during the winter. Dogs that are also left in the cold for long periods of times are also at risk of their paws or hair freezing on the ground. It is not recommended that you keep your pet outside in the cold and shorter walks are better in the long run than longer ones.<

Protection for Your Pet Paws

When considering the use of deicers, it is recommended that you use pet-friendly deicers which will help to protect your dog’s pads from injury and chemical burns. Another product that can be used to protect the pads of your pet is special waxes that can be used before a walk. Keep in mind that the use of any paw wax will wear away after extended use, and should be reapplied before each walk.

During the winter time, the best protection for your dog’s pads when they're outside are dog booties. Dog booties will prevent injury to your pets from deicers that are placed on the ground. Its recommended that you take proper sizing of dog booties to make sure there are comfortable for your dog to wear and prevent further injury. In the beginning, your dog may have a hard time wearing booties but will eventually get used to wearing the boots.