Reoccurring pad injuries

[Smokeycat]

Jiggers unfortunately has developed a trend for tearing off the outer layer of skin on the pad located on the back of the front leg (I don't know what it's actually called) but it's not one of the ones on the paw that he walks on. It happened once last year and as of today 3x this winter. This time it happened with both legs not just one like all the others. I do know that he slipped on black ice and fell this time but all the others were discovered after the fact when he started licking his leg so I don't know what happened then.
Does anyone know how I might be able to 'toughen' up that skin so that it is less likely to tear again? The poor boy just wants to have fun not come back with his legs sore and irritating him.

Wearing socks to try a deter licking his new wounds.

 

[Nitrojedi]

frost bite ? my boy had issues like this from frost bite....would cause the pad to peel off and look all nasty

 

[Smokeycat]

frost bite ? my boy had issues like this from frost bite....would cause the pad to peel off and look all nasty

The cold likely doesn't help but I think it's more a traumatic injury, like scraping your knee, than something like frost bite. But that is an angle I hadn't thought of.

 

[Nitrojedi]

The cold likely doesn't help but I think it's more a traumatic injury, like scraping your knee, than something like frost bite. But that is an angle I hadn't thought of.

you are in a similar climate to me..I am from Winnipeg.... so frostbite is a definite possibility...and once they get bad frostbite once it seems they become more prone to getting it again.... I have some pictures somewhere I can post if I can find them...

 

[Penelope's Mom]

Poor Jiggers. He looks so sad.

 

[Nitrojedi]

here is what frostbite looks like.....and in our climate it can happen much faster then you would suspect.....

 

[Smokeycat]

That does look similar, I think. I'll check once he wakes up. I think the biggest obstacle I'm having to the idea it could be frostbite is that it is 0 degrees today and while I don't remember the temperature from each of the other incidence they all occurred while he was running off leash and I generally don't take them to the off leash below -10.

 

[Smokeycat]

I was able to get a better look at his legs and while one leg is missing a large chunk of skin the rest of the skin around it is healthy. The other leg definitely looks like a scraped knee or Palm, lots of tiny tears in the surface layer. So I'm more convinced that it was trauma based. I wasn't able to get pictures as they are obviously sensitive and he doesn't want me handling his legs too much.
He's frustrated that I'm not letting him lick them and even added tape to help keep his socks in place. He reminds me of a horse with leg wraps on.

Ignore the mess, Kryten got into the recycling bin.

 

[QY10]

Awe, poor Jiggers. Is there anything in the yard that he might be getting his paws snagged on? Jagged rocks or brambles, something like that?

 

[Smokeycat]

It's only happened when he is running free at the off leash. It is rough terrain but mostly just clumps of grass. It is possible for there to be something hidden in the grass as it can be really tall when not weighed down by snow. I'm pretty sure this time is due to his fall on the ice as he was running full speed coming back with his ball and tumbled spectacularly, like road rash. I just feel bad that I don't know how or if I can prevent further injury.

 

[QY10]

Could he wear booties, or would he just take them off?

 

[Smokeycat]

He is very good at loosing them. His paws are so small compared to his legs (about the same size) that they twist around and will slide off regardless of how tight you try and make the top.

 

[Nitrojedi]

This only happened when we had extreme cold snaps with windchill in the -40--50 range.....For some reason George was very prone to freezing his feet, we had to be extremely careful as he would stay out longer then he should and if we weren't there to bring him in he would really hurt himself.... If your temps are only 0-10C then I would agree with you that its just a injury and not frostbite....

 

[DennasMom]

I'm not sure how you could toughen up the pad material, other than keeping going out there... I remember Denna's pads as a puppy were soft (she burned hers on hot pavement before I knew it) - but they're tough, now.

Maybe you could try putting something like musher's secret (foot wax) on before you go, as a protective layer?

 

[remi]

I like mushers secret too. I use it to protect pads when it's really hot as well as cold. I also like "protect a pad". I get both from amazon. I have muckluc boots for my service dog as well. They have leather soles so a bit more flexible.

 

[Max's mom]

Can you wrap Jiggers in the stretch bandage like she is wearing in the picture before she romps off leash?
My lab ripped all of his large pads chasing a ball with the neighbor on the hot pavement. He'd slide to catch the ball and it was awful! Our vet provided a liquid skin that you spray on and he would not lick and it covered the nerve endings so it was not so painful. I don't know the name, but don't spray your hand and then later put it in your mouth. You'll taste it for days!
Jiggers, I hope you feel better soon!

 

[Smokeycat]

I use mushers secret on the main paw pads, I just never considered those pads as they don't touch the ground. Maybe that might help.
Unfortunately (fortunately?) the temperature fell drastically after he injured himself. The highs have been around -20C (-2F) so it has been too cold to go to the off leash thus he has been forced to rest a little.

 

[Smokeycat]

Well, he managed to hurt himself again. This time the slice was deep enough to bleed. I think I need to look into getting him some sort of leg wrap for protection.

 

[Jakesmum]

If you go to your vet or a horse supply store you can get the stretch wrap bandage that only sticks to itself and then get the stretch wrap tape to tape up the ends, that's what I used to bandage Jakes legs all through his illness. If your vet will sell it to you it might be a bit cheaper but if not I have found it at the horse supply stores.

 

[Smokeycat]

I have vet tape for covering his legs while wounded and I might use that for now but I would rather have something that can be reused as it appears that this is going to be a long term problem with him.