Why are my dog's paw pads pink after walks? Is it too much exercise?

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. The spots you are seeing on the bottom of the feet could be secondary to callus formation or previous blister formation from friction or heat when running or coming in contact with hot surfaces. If she goes hiking a lot and walks through gravel, sometimes callus formation can cause these spots to show up. There are pad diseases that will cause discoloration of the pad, however this does not look concerning to me at this point in time. If the feet become swollen or you notice any wounds in between the toes that I would bring this to the attention of a veterinarian and have it examined. Further testing can be performed on this such as obtaining a biopsy of the paw pad. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns. I'm also available via consultation if needed

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Hammy and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. I see what you mean about his paw pads peeling. It may be too hot for him. To test if it's too hot, put the back of your hand on the track. If you can't hold it there for at least five seconds, it's too hot. It could also be he is running too hard and too often. For now, I would rest him. Allow his paw pads to heal before taking him back to running. I'd apply Musher's Secret to his paws to help then heal. The Musher's Secret, which is a pad balm, can help protect his pads as well when they heal. You can find it online. I hope this helps!

Depigmentation can be normal, but if the skin is also thick or crusty or there are other skin lesions it might also be a sign of an autoimmune skin disease. If Iker has scabs or crusts on his paw pads that aren't obvious in the picture, if he seems itchy or if he has other skin problems I'd recommend having your vet take a look.

I'm so sorry to hear that Reaves and Marilyn are having such a hard time after their hike. Paw pads can take a while to heal and can be very painful. I would recommend having your veterinarian examine them to determine if they need any treatment other than what you are currently doing, to determine which pain medication will help them feel better, and also to determine the best way to protect their feet. Sometimes I will recommend commercial booties while paw pads heal, but sometimes I will teach owners to bandage feet at home if they are severely affected. Good luck! I hope they feel better soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It looks like poor Leo has blistered paw pads. This can be quite uncomfortable. Seeing where your location is, it is likely that Leo just came in contact with hot pavement. These will heal on their own. I would not try to peel the pads off. New pad will form and you may even notice pink pad that is raw looking once the old pad falls off. I would have your vet check the pads out to be on the safe side in case there is something more thst needs to be done. To prevent this, avoid long walks on hot pavement and use dog boots. Hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me with any further questions or concerns you may have

Rajah apparently does not have a lot of calloused skin on his pads. He will only get that by walking on hard ground. If the dog spends most of his life inside on carpeted floors then the pads will be soft and you can see hyperemia through the skin. You need to take Rajah for walks on varied terrain. If you think his pads are inflamed or hurt,. please make an appointment with your veterinarian for a foot exam.

Arnold's paws look irritated. This irritation could be due to allergies or walking over rough surfaces (like dry grass or gravel). If he is licking the paws, this could be a sign of discomfort. I recommend to have Arnold checked by the veterinarian to make sure this is not infection. You can also add in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.