Claws & Paws

Stiff Knees

Stiff Knees

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Both of our Labradors are suffering with paw injuries. Jake has a broken claw, Peril has 2 scuffed pads on her back paws. Jake regularly gets broken claws and they are always severe enough to require veterinary intervention. Peril is heavy on her feet and this is the second time in 12 months that she has had a pad injury. I'm very adept at dealing with the injuries once they occur, treating with Hibiscrub, Sudocrem and socks and fortunately both dogs are very tolerant but I wonder if anyone can recommend a supplement, lotion or potion that might help protect against these injuries? Jake already takes Cobalaplex, a Vitamin B12 supplement daily. Thank you 🐾😍🐾image.jpeg
 
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Surgical spirit will harden up pads but you don’t want them licking that. One of mine regularly injures claws, often the dew claw, I’m never buying a dog with them again! Scuffed pads only happen if mine go in the tennis courts.
 
Cinnamontoast said:
Surgical spirit will harden up pads but you don’t want them licking that. One of mine regularly injures claws, often the dew claw, I’m never buying a dog with them again! Scuffed pads only happen if mine go in the tennis courts.
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Thanks Cinnamontoast, I'll try surgical spirit once Peril's pads have healed. Jake had his dew claws removed after numerous injuries, now he just injures his remaining claws instead! We're on very flinty land, and it's definitely hard on their pads and claws. Our old girl Spot had pads that looked like the Grand Canyon, the cracks were so large, but she never suffered with pad injuries. I think it must be genetic as to whether they have soft pads or not. Thanks for the advice 😀🐾
 
Can also be diet related. Not always but have seen dogs go from frequent customers for broken nails to normal after changing foods.
Skin supplements like megaderm or similar can be helpful for improving the quality of nails and strength.
Mushers wax is good for cracks as well.
 
Aru said:
Can also be diet related. Not always but have seen dogs go from frequent customers for broken nails to normal after changing foods.
Skin supplements like megaderm or similar can be helpful for improving the quality of nails and strength.
Mushers wax is good for cracks as well.
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Aru said:
Can also be diet related. Not always but have seen dogs go from frequent customers for broken nails to normal after changing foods.
Skin supplements like megaderm or similar can be helpful for improving the quality of nails and strength.
Mushers wax is good for cracks as well.
Click to expand...
Thanks Aru. They are both on Eden, with veg added in, pumpkin, butternut squash, carrots and they also get Yumove. Jake has just started taking Vit B12 (Cobalaplex) as he has recently had his spleen removed and that should (fingers crossed) help with his Red Blood Cell Count and his weak claws, Ive ordered some Mushers Wax and will google Megaderm. Thanks for the advice 🐾
 
Thanks for the advice, we're now using Musher's Secret and YuMega Boost supplement (I trust Lintbells because we already use YuMove). Hoping for an end to the paw and claw injuries! 🐾😍🐾
 
Not quite an end to the paw injuries! Puncture wound last night which exposed the metatarsal artery so sutures required. Apparently Peril is a howler when recovering from anaesthetic. Acted upon within one hour of the injury (flushed out with water during the walk and hibiscrubbed as soon as we got her home) then straight to the vets but infection had already set in so watching her very closely. 🐾🐾image.jpeg
 
Tawny (also a yellow lab) has dreadful feet and I battle with her soundness all shooting season.
She is now on a zinc supplement aimed at huskys (who can be zinc deficient I gather) and also flax seed oil (linseed) as recommended by another friend. I use mushers wax on work mornings and then apply handfuls of vaseline between every drive. I am also trying to moisturise her pads daily (but don't always remember) I use 'adore the paw' (very expensive) or some human stuff sold at a local builder merchants for cracked hands. I do think it helps, but she hasn't been on all the dietary stuff for a season yet, so I won't really know if it is helping until she starts proper work in August.
She gets MWH food and sardines once or twice a week.
 
Hello Clodagh, my two both love having the mushers wax rubbed in, Jake just sits and nods and Peril is always asleep by Paw 3! We just seem to be having one injury after another at the moment. Peril clocks up big mileage though so I guess this can be expected. 15 miles yesterday and that wasn't an exceptional day, it was cut short in fact by the paw injury. YuMega Boost has zinc in so that should help her healing powers. Sudocrem is my best friend too, the dogs first aid kit is more comprehensive than the human one in our house!
 
Stiff Knees said:
Hello Clodagh, my two both love having the mushers wax rubbed in, Jake just sits and nods and Peril is always asleep by Paw 3! We just seem to be having one injury after another at the moment. Peril clocks up big mileage though so I guess this can be expected. 15 miles yesterday and that wasn't an exceptional day, it was cut short in fact by the paw injury. YuMega Boost has zinc in so that should help her healing powers. Sudocrem is my best friend too, the dogs first aid kit is more comprehensive than the human one in our house!
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Same here! If we have an injury it ususally has to be treated with stuff from the dog's tin. :-)
 
Clodagh said:
Tawny (also a yellow lab) has dreadful feet and I battle with her soundness all shooting season.
She is now on a zinc supplement aimed at huskys (who can be zinc deficient I gather) and also flax seed oil (linseed) as recommended by another friend. I use mushers wax on work mornings and then apply handfuls of vaseline between every drive. I am also trying to moisturise her pads daily (but don't always remember) I use 'adore the paw' (very expensive) or some human stuff sold at a local builder merchants for cracked hands. I do think it helps, but she hasn't been on all the dietary stuff for a season yet, so I won't really know if it is helping until she starts proper work in August.
She gets MWH food and sardines once or twice a week.
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How does the linseed help, Clodagh?
 
Clodagh said:
I use it on the recommendation of a friend who does produce it, so she is not unbiased. It is good for skin and joints (we used to give it to the horses so it is a known 'glossy coat' supplement). As pads are basically skin Clare thought it might be worth a punt.
https://www.flaxfarm.co.uk/cold-pressed-linseed-flaxseed-oil-dogs/
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Thanks Clodagh, will look into that, if this might help the paw and claw situation, it has to be worth a try.
Ordered. Fingers crossed 🐾❤️🐾
 
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Clodagh said:
I use it on the recommendation of a friend who does produce it, so she is not unbiased. It is good for skin and joints (we used to give it to the horses so it is a known 'glossy coat' supplement). As pads are basically skin Clare thought it might be worth a punt.
https://www.flaxfarm.co.uk/cold-pressed-linseed-flaxseed-oil-dogs/
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The flax seed oil has arrived, very impressed with service, ordered Saturday, arrived Tuesday, the dogs love the taste, thanks for the recommendation. 😀
 
Peril is healing really well, Sunday was a bit scary as the bruising came out but now all looking good, vet more than happy with progress, infection under control, reduced bathing to 4 times a day with warmed manuka honey solution. Miracle stuff. Thank heavens for bees!image.jpegimage.jpeg
 
Poor girl, she did a proper job.
I hope the linseed works, if not it certainly makes ours nice and shiny!
 
Hello Stiiff Knees,

I came across this post whilst looking treatments for my girl Naomé, who is a labrador cross. She has a condition called Symmetrical lupoid onychodystrophy (SLO). What you describe with Jake damaging claws regularly struck a cord. Has your vet given you a diagnosis or just dealing with the broken claws? It may be something worth looking into. Take a look here if you are not already aware of SLO https://veterinary-practice.com/article/symmetrical-lupoid-onychodystrophysm .

Regards,

Maria
 
katz1965 said:
Hello Stiiff Knees,

I came across this post whilst looking treatments for my girl Naomé, who is a labrador cross. She has a condition called Symmetrical lupoid onychodystrophy (SLO). What you describe with Jake damaging claws regularly struck a cord. Has your vet given you a diagnosis or just dealing with the broken claws? It may be something worth looking into. Take a look here if you are not already aware of SLO https://veterinary-practice.com/article/symmetrical-lupoid-onychodystrophysm .

Regards,

Maria
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Hello Maria, the vet just deals with each claw injury as it occurs, SLO looks horrendous, but I don't think that's what Jake has as it tends to be one claw at a time rather than multiple claws. He is also now taking a supplement called Onychotin and hasn't had any claw injuries since so fingers crossed. He regularly gets exercised on very flinty land and I think that's the cause. Good luck with Naome 🐾🐾😍
 
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