Why You Should Be Concerned About Your Dog’s Extra “Hairy” Paws

Paw Pad Hyperkeratosis is often referred to arsenic “hairy canine feet” due to the fact that the paw pads instrumentality connected a distinctly furry appearance.

In fact, what you are seeing is an overgrowth of a tough, fibrous macromolecule called keratin that resembles fur, but is really rough, hard and rather uncomfortable for your dog.

Keratin provides spot and resilience to the epithelial cells of skin, hairsbreadth and nails, but sometimes the assemblage makes excessively much, resulting in hyperkeratosis. When overproduced, this excess keratin forms a hard, crusty furniture of fur-like protrusions connected the nose and/or paw pads.

Hyperkeratosis has antithetic levels of severity, but successful its astir assertive signifier it tin origin cracking, bleeding and corruption of the paw pads.

Some breeds person a familial predisposition for hyperkeratosis of the paws, including Golden Retrievers, Labs, Dogues de Bordeauxs, and immoderate Terriers. Pups with familial hyperkeritosis typically make signs of “hairy canine feet” by their archetypal birthday.

Non-genetic hyperkeratosis tin beryllium idiopathic – meaning the origin cannot beryllium determined – oregon a grounds of disease. Dogs with idiopathic hyperkeratosis typically bash not make problems until they are seniors, portion those experiencing “hairy canine feet” arsenic a grounds of illness whitethorn beryllium immoderate age.

The pursuing diseases are known to origin paw pad hyperkeratosis:

• Leishmaniasis is simply a tegument illness dispersed by soil flies that is characterized by tegument lesions and whitethorn besides origin an overproduction of keratin.
• Dogs suffering from Zinc Responsive Dermatosis are incapable of decently absorbing zinc and whitethorn make hyperkeratosis arsenic a symptom.
• Pemphigus foliaceus causes pustules and crusting of the tegument arsenic good arsenic thickening and cracking of the footpads.
• Canine distemper, a highly contagious and perchance life-threatening microorganism that attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal and tense systems besides causes hyperkeratosis of the paw pads successful immoderate dogs.

If you observe changes to your dog’s usually soft, creaseless paw pads, docket an introspection with your veterinarian to regularisation retired illness and forestall the information from progressing. Hyperkeratosis cannot beryllium cured, but it tin beryllium managed.

If near unchecked, the hard, hairlike growths and cracking tin origin your dog’s pads to go highly sensitive, particularly erstwhile walking connected rough, hard, blistery oregon acold surfaces. Some dogs acquisition specified important symptom they go unwilling oregon incapable to walk, reducing their prime of life.

Treatment and semipermanent attraction are indispensable for keeping your pooch connected his paws!

After examining your canine and ruling retired the supra diseases, your vet volition apt trim distant the excess keratin utilizing aesculapian scissors oregon a dremel tool. This process should lone beryllium attempted by a professional. Trimming is painless if done correctly, but an untrained manus could accidentally injure the delicate paw pad beneath the crust.

Keeping the overgrowth astatine bay volition let your canine to locomotion much comfortably, but regrowth is accelerated and attraction trims should beryllium performed each fewer months. Some vets whitethorn urge soaking oregon steaming the paws to assistance soften excess insubstantial and relieve discomfort betwixt trims.

To heal and moisturize your dog’s damaged pads, use a soothing balm affluent in pet-safe indispensable oils and butters. Natural Dog Company Paw Soother is a unsocial blend of all-natural ingredients including Cajeput Essential Oil, Calendula Extract, Rosemary Extract, Jojoba Oil, Hempseed Oil, and Cocoa Butter – to sanction conscionable a few!

Each nourishing constituent is designed to present effective, harmless healing. From the highly antiseptic powerfulness of the Cajeput Essential Oil to the bacteria-repelling moisturization of the Jojoba Oil, your pup’s paws volition find effectual relief. Plus, you tin take from a tin oregon a instrumentality applicator for casual application.

Since each Natural Dog Company products are escaped from harmful ingredients, you bash not person to interest astir you pooch getting sick, and with regular applications, alleviation is accelerated and long-lasting!

Soothe your pup’s paws and get 15% disconnected your archetypal bid erstwhile you store from Natural Dog Company.

With your attraction and attention, paw pad hyperkeratosis tin beryllium managed, giving your canine the accidental to unrecorded his champion beingness escaped from symptom and discomfort!

These statements person not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This merchandise is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, oregon forestall immoderate disease. The accusation connected this website is not intended to regenerate a one-on-one narration with a qualified healthcare professional.

H/T to Canine Journal & Natural Dog Company

The station Why You Should Be Concerned About Your Dog’s Extra “Hairy” Paws appeared archetypal connected iHeartDogs.com.