My dog's paws are cracked and rough. What can I do to help them?

Phoenix's paw pads may benefit from a change in diet. Royal Canin diets are fortified with Omega 3 fatty acids which are good for the coat and skin. They make a diet for sensitive skin (you may need to look online for the product) and this one would be a good option. It will take about 4 weeks to see if they improve with a new diet. You could also try a product such as Baely's Paw Shield. This balm may help to heal the cracked skin. Lastly, avoid rough surfaces and dry the paws well when they get wet. If the skin starts looking red, bleeding, scabbing or if he seems bothered, have hime seen by his vet. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Adding oils can help some pets with dry skin, but it can take 6-8 weeks to take effect, and in my opinion it doesn't make a very big difference. Omega 3 oils would be best to try. The biggest side effect is greasy or loose stools. Dry or cracked paws could be caused by excessive licking, or it could happen with allergies or autoimmune disease. I would recommend having Pavi checked out by the vet to see if this may be the case.

Hello. We need to know why Max's feet are dry & cracked. This could indicate a bacterial or even a fungal cause. Until you can have him evaluated, you can wash his feet in a skin antiseptic like Hibiclens ( available at all pharmacies ), dry well & then apply a very light coating of Vaseline. Try to do this at least 1-2 times a day. If no response within a couple of weeks, do see your veterinarian for further recommendations. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Coconut oil is ok to use but I habe seen better success using a product called Biobalm by Dermoscent, which can be found online quite easily. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! For dry pads you can use a moisturizing cream such as the one made by Tomlyn which you get from amazon. It works great for this scenario. It is hard to know if this is truly needed without being able to see it and examine it though this is usually a good option in most cases. Good luck!

Poor Sabre! An emollient cream such as e45 or vaseline can help to soften and reduce such cracks, you should lase rest her for at least 5-7days to allow the feet to heal and consider putting boots (such as used for security dogs for broken glass etc) on her if she must cross rough terrain or tarmac for extended lengths of time in the future

Poor Sky! Sure to always touch the concrete to make sure it is not too hot as pets can get serious injury. Avoid walking Sky during the hot time of the day. Walk in the very early mornings or in the evenings after the temperature has dropped. Booties can help as well to protect her feet from hot temperatures. Also make sure she does not lick at the feet (have her wear an elizabethan collar at all times) and keep her on soft surfaces with no walks, running or jumping until the tissue is fully healed. You can apply a dab of coconut oil and rub it in well. Make sure she does not lick this as it can cause GI upset. You can also purchase the balm that mushers use on sled dogs. If the area does not start looking better or if it begins to look worse at any point, have her examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.