My dog has yellow fur on paws. Is it hyperkeratosis or skin disease?

Hello, it may be associated with an aging change depending on how old your pup is. This could also happen with frequent licking and chewing as saliva has enzymes that stain fur. Other causes such as bacterial or yeast infections could also stain the fur. If Maxx is licking his paws frequently, he could have allergies with a secondary infection that may require medications to control. Have him seen by a veterinarian if he is licking, otherwise, you can continue to monitor him for any other changes with his coat. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Thank you for posting the pictures as they are very helpful. I am concerned that these skin lesions look like an infection. It could be bacterial or fungal such as ringworm. I would highly encourage you to have them evaluated by your veterinarian soon. In the meantime please practice good hygiene after handling them as ringworm is contagious to people as well. Best of luck and I hope they improve soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Those look like very normal changes to a more adult paw pad. If there is any redness, swelling, or crusting then I would encourage you to have him evaluated by a veterinarian soon. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

For some dogs, developing hyperkeratosis is a matter of genes: Labrador and Golden Retrievers, Dogues de Bordeaux, Irish and Bedlington Terriers are all known to develop this condition. When hyperkeratosis develops as a result of inheritance, it generally occurs in the first year of a dog’s life. In contrast, idiopathic hyperkeratosis develops for unknown reasons, generally occurs in older pets, over the age ten. Aside from inherited or idiopathic occurrences, hyperkeratosis can occur as a symptom of one of these following problems: Leishmaniasis: Caused by a parasite frequently carried by sandflies. Canine Distemper: This virus is relatively rare now, due to vaccinations given to puppies. When distemper strikes, it can cause all sorts of symptoms, among them hyperkeratosis, typically on the nose. Zinc Responsive Dermatosis: Hyperkeratosis can occur as a result of zinc responsive dermatosis, a skin disease that occurs when dogs do not properly absorb zinc. Pemphigus Foliaceus: One of the most common autoimmune skin diseases diagnosed in cats and dogs, it causes pustules and hyperkeratosis to form on the paws. This disease can be diagnosed with a biopsy, and is treatable with immunosuppressive drugs. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for hyperkeratosis. That said, the condition can be managed -- the treatment goal is to reduce symptoms, by softening and removing the hardened skin on paws and muzzles. The most important first step of treatment is to determine if another disease is causing hyperkeratosis as a symptom, and begin the treatment process for that disease. To treat the hyperkeratosis directly, bring pets in for frequent vet appointments, where the vet can carefully trim and cut away the excess keratin. If your vet and you both feel comfortable with the idea, it’s possible that your vet can train you on the proper process for this puppy pedicure. Other treatments involve wet wraps, soaks in propylene glycol, and other topical solutions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to see in those pictures. That really requires an examination. That could be due to a skin infection or possibly just a normal pigmentation change. I would recommend that if this continues, you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment. Best of luck!

Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, you will need to ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

You may just be seeing hyperkeratosis of the pads which is very common in a lot of dogs. It's essentially just an overgrowth of the skin in this area and commonly occurs to the nasal planum and paw pads, especially as dogs age. As long as your pet is comfortable and walking well for most dogs it is just cosmetic. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!