Furry Paw Pads

[Teebs]

I remember posting about this years ago.

Atlas has fury pads on his feet, most of them are hard, but there is a lot that is furry.

It has never been a huge problem, although I have never worked out what caused it.

the last few days he has been licking licking licking, he is due for a nail cut this week and I will ask the vet again, but thought I would post here and ask.

I just had a look at them and the furry bits are really annoying him, i touched one and he got really itchy.

Does anyone have any ideas on what it could be and how to fix it?

I am off to work now, but will try to get a photo tonight when i get home!

Thanks

Edited January 3, 2010 by Teebs

[Teebs]

no one??

[OSoSwift]

I am trying to understand exactly what you mean by furry?

Is it like the pad feels furry as in all little bits are thickened and roughened?

[Teebs]

Furry:

I cant get a better photo, no one to help me. But the pads are just like fur, right around the edge, but it is the pad.

They also smell very Dorito-ish - i can smell them without having to lean in to sniff.

Am going to start him back on AVC, and cant get into the vet till next week

Oh, and ignore his nails, they are the worst nails anyone I know have seen, they were only cut a few weeks ago and grow sooo fast, I am sitting here trying to file them now

[persephone]

Looks as if it could be a fungal infection?..definitely get it looked at closely .

orrrrrrrr.. when he walks- do the nail edges abrade that part of his pad? looks as if it has been roughened by constant friction as well.....

[Teebs]

His nails actually dont worry him - I have talked to the vets about knocking him out and cutting them right back - but seeing whe he ripped 2 out, they grew back in weeks, he said there isnt much chance of keeping them normal (a heap of the dogs in his family have the same nails)

And - It is only the 2 middle nails that are feral, the others are fine, but yet the pads next to them are furry as well, so i cant see it being his nails.

ETA: can a vet tell it is a fungal infection without much testing? Just I have a friend I may be able to see tomorrow, but she works from home and doesnt have any of the gear that vets have.

ETATA: It cant be the nails, i just realised, as the pad up the top, like his 'thumb' away from the nails, is furry too and it is no where near a nail

Edited December 29, 2009 by Teebs

[gareth]

ETA: can a vet tell it is a fungal infection without much testing? Just I have a friend I may be able to see tomorrow, but she works from home and doesnt have any of the gear that vets have.

Yes, vets are good at that diagnosis type stuff.

What are you saying? You are thinking of taking the dog to a freind instead of a vet

[persephone]

Ok- fast growing nails/furry pads...this is ringing little bells- something about keratosis....

*goes googling*

[Teebs]

My friend is a vet, she stopped working to have her baby, therefor does not have access to any thing to do testing, so i am wondering if it is something she can look at and tell what it is, or will there have to be some sort of tests. As i can not get into my vet until next week.

[persephone]

As i can not get into my vet until next week.

if he has had this for some time- then next week should be fine

*still googling- for what I am trying to think of....*

[Teebs]

Ok- fast growing nails/furry pads...this is ringing little bells- something about keratosis....

*goes googling*

Ok, i just went googling and got a bit lost

[persephone]

Ok, i just went googling and got a bit lost rofl1.gif rofl1.gif

me too..... shall hope someone else comes up with an idea

[Teebs]

Ok, i have found: Palmoplantar Hyperkeratosis,

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal...006101/abstract

but it doesnt really say much, or show photos

[Teebs]

And this:

digital hyperkeratosis

increased thickness of the keratinized epidermis of footpads in dogs and rarely cats. May be in response to trauma or associated with distemper (hardpad disease), or pemphigus foliaceus.

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionar...+hyperkeratosis

but i get lost with all the big words

[OSoSwift]

Hyper Keratinisation?

It looks like he has an over growth of his pads. Does his nose have any dryness or cracking?

I would be thinking a fungal component as well.

Vets can quite often take a sticky tape impression or scrape of a bit of the pad material to have a look at.

ETA does he have any skin problems like black heads or blocked hair folicles?

Edited December 29, 2009 by Rommi n Lewis

[Teebs]

Nose is fine, everything is fine, just his stupid feet.

[Teebs]

oh, another thought - we just had a few days of a LOT of rain, so it could be that that has set it all off as well..

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

i have a boston and the dorito smell in the feet is a sure sign of fungus infection.

[Muttaburra]

it sounds like a clear cut case of

"Atlas Foot"

sometimes known as Athletes Foot, fungal, identified by smell alone, but also it does itch a bit sometimes too.

Although the keratosis theory is interesting and might be contributing factor.

If the fur was stiff then it could even be some kind of viral wartism.

I would be tempted to try soaking (just one foot) in a mild solution of 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 1 litre of water for 5 minutes, then gently wipe the pads of the paw (and dry the rest of the paw). It is possible that this might gently remove the "fur" from the pads.

Ensure his feet are always dry before bedtime.

Otherwise I would say try an antifungal creme as a follow-up, whatever brand as recommended by a vet, but I suspect like my dog he would just lick it all off.

I wouldn't be rushing to expensive tests at this stage.

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

i use tea tree oil as it is anti fungal and the dog doesnt lick it off.