GREYHOUND HEALTHCARE & SAFETY
Paws & Claws
by Ilaria F. Borghese, MS, MA, OTR/L
President, Thera-Paw, Inc.
There are a wide variety of conditions that can affect paws and claws beyond acute trauma and soft tissue injuries. Dry, cracked pads are a common, and older dogs seem to be more susceptible. Causes of dry, cracked pads can include repeated exposure to chemicals (such as rug / floor cleaners, lawn fertilizer and pesticides, road salt), zinc deficiency, distemper, and chronic licking. If you suspect that environmental exposure is the cause of the problem, using all-natural, non-toxic floor cleaners, avoiding chemically-treated areas, cleaning the paws with warm water, or protecting them with waterproof boots will help to minimize the damage to the paw pads and web space.
Zinc deficiency (Syndromes I and II) can also cause dry, cracked pads as well as hyperkeratosis (corns). Zinc levels are not routinely tested in bloodwork, and you will have to ask your veterinarian to specifically test zinc levels if you suspect cracked pads or corns related to zinc deficiency. Fortunately, both syndromes are easily treated with zinc supplements and diet modification. Corns may be helped by zinc supplementation but further treatments may be needed depending on the severity of the condition. For more information on causes and treatments for corns and warts, please see articles on www.therapaw.net or in Celebrating Greyhounds (fall, 2003).
Overgrown, crusty, and crumbly paw pads are a common sign of canine distemper. These crusty pads can occur even years after distemper has been treated. The paw pad condition is not “cured” but more managed with gentle filing of the overgrowth using a pumice stone and by applying an ointment-based topical (e.g., petroleum jelly) directly on the paw pads to lock in moisture. Ointments are most effective if applied after soaking the paw pads in warm water. Once the ointment is applied, cover the paws with clean, light, breathable cotton socks to prevent the dog from licking. It is easiest to do this at night when the dog is resting.
Corns and warts can also appear at the bottom of the paw pad, and cause pain and lameness. Please see the articles mentioned above for more information on corns and warts. Not mentioned in the articles are some recent findings on possible causes for corns. As discussed above, zinc deficiency can cause corns or exacerbate the condition. Also, it is now believed that corns can develop in dogs with excessively long nails. Long nails (see photo) displace the digits and place excess pressure on the paw pads, causing the formation of calluses (or corns). Excessively long nails will also cause the dog to shift weight toward the back of the paw pads, which adds stress to the wrists and ankles. Long-term, this can lead to joint and soft tissue problems such as arthritis, degenerative joint disease, and overstretched tendons.
In comparison to other dog breeds, Greyhounds tend to have longer nails. But they can be made short by systematic filing. Personally, I use a hand-held, battery-operated Dremel tool with a drum sander attachment (purchased at Home Depot). My protocol is as follows: I file each nail for just 3-5 seconds. Then, repeat this procedure every 7-10 days. This will give the nail quick a chance to recede, and filing can continue until the nails are short with blunted (rounded) tips (see photo). I continue this procedure until the dog’s nails can no longer be heard when the dog walks across a hard floor. I find this approach causes the least amount of stress to the animal as it is quick and painless.
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| Long Nails |
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Allie was first described to us as "An older dog with a slight overbite".
"A slight overbite"? It's endearing, and to us it's even cute. What it
ISN'T is slight. Between that and her lack of front teeth (from chewing
on her cage in her earlier years), Allie's profile isn't her best angle, and
her tongue protrudes partly through the gap. Add to that the slight
cataract opacity of her big brown eyes, and you have a dog whose face can
bring the word "underprivileged" to mind. And age has made her lame, so
she shakes if she stands too long. All in all, a dog to whom life didn't give
much.
We first saw Allie at a Meet & Greet in Plymouth Meeting. This was our
first chance to adopt, and we were, not nervous but alert to this unusual
smallish
white greyhound with several brindle patches. This was the dog "Allie".
We approached her and she was patient and accepting as we patted her and
spoke to her. She seemed to know that her job was to be patient and
accepting. A gentle, pleasing dog. Then we started to turn away, and a
long white left paw reached out to us. Well *We knew before we ever saw
her that we would take the first available dog, and Allie was that. I suppose
we even knew we'd love that dog almost instantly. What we didn't know was
that that instant love wouldn't be generic or unfocused; that we would
love
this Allie, this dog that life had scuffed around and brushed aside, as
exactly the dog she was and is.
She's a lot of things. Demanding, when she's hungry or wants to go out:
she's a power-whimperer. Designing, when Hope (her more or less adult
puppy) has something she wants: Allie will initiate play, head down on
forepaws, barking, and when Hope responds joyfully, as she always does,
Allie smugly shuffles over and takes what she wants. Trusting, when a vet
probes her raw foot for the thorn that's embedded there: her pain and
anxiety shown only by her running nose. Loving, when we're patting and
stroking her: she turns her head and her clouded eyes pull us in, and we
know, as Helen said, "We're her whole life".
Life finally gave her us, and us her. Sometimes things work just right.
~David Kitzmiller
