Dog Bootee's, Anyone Use Them?

[juice]

mason my old bully has really bad feet, they are splayed anyway, but the pads constantly split and bleed, making it really hard for him just to even go for a little walk

i only walk him on the pavement,as rough, or grassy area's make it worse.

i have tried using creams, but so far nothing is helping, i tried "mushers secret" from the usa, its a wax for sledge dogs, but still they split and flake away. they are very hard and coarse.

so i was wondering about getting boots for him?

anyone used them, or know where to get any?

[smooch]

http://www.topdogs.com.au/search.php?searc...amp;x=0&y=0

I have used the ruffwear grip trex ones and found these very good, a bit pricy but will out wear the cheaper ones, has a nice solid sole like joggers.

you can get cheaper ones from E bay. They were fine inside but didn't last very long.

Smooch was dragging his back leg after a spinal stroke and was wearing his toes down to where they were bleading, he was also slipping over on out tile floors. The ruffwear shoes stopped all this.

[~Anne~]

mason my old bully has really bad feet, they are splayed anyway, but the pads constantly split and bleed, making it really hard for him just to even go for a little walk

i only walk him on the pavement,as rough, or grassy area's make it worse.

i have tried using creams, but so far nothing is helping, i tried "mushers secret" from the usa, its a wax for sledge dogs, but still they split and flake away. they are very hard and coarse.

so i was wondering about getting boots for him?

anyone used them, or know where to get any?

Depending on size, I have a pair I could sell you. They are high quality and only used once.

They're blue in colour and are the Ruffwear Grip Trex brand mentioned by smooch. Still in the box.

Edited May 3, 2010 by ~Anne~

[Allerzeit]

Enya wear boots on her front feet when she goes walking or to training - she has an old injury that has resulted in a very flat foot and she gets footsore on any ground that is even slightly rough.

She has a pair of these http://www.topdogs.com.au/products/Muttluk...-Dog-Boots.html and she's been using them for around 12 months I guess. OH keeps the leather soles conditioned and they are holding up really well.

I would probably try the Ruffwear ones when she wears these ones out, not because I'm not happy with the ones she has now, but just because I want to try the Ruffwear ones as well

[juice]

thanks, they both look really good, allerziet, do you think yours are softer to wear?

i just plod him up the street for 15 mins, he spends most of the time looking around the rest of the day he is asleep on his bed in the sun

anne, i will measure his feet when he wakes up, thanks.

[dwynwen]

Smooch was dragging his back leg after a spinal stroke and was wearing his toes down to where they were bleading, he was also slipping over on out tile floors. The ruffwear shoes stopped all this.

How much of the time does he wear the boots? My boy has trouble with the wooden floors but given how much dogs' feet sweat I'm wondering how useful they'd be for him. (he's inside most of the time).

[smooch]

Smooch was dragging his back leg after a spinal stroke and was wearing his toes down to where they were bleading, he was also slipping over on out tile floors. The ruffwear shoes stopped all this.

How much of the time does he wear the boots? My boy has trouble with the wooden floors but given how much dogs' feet sweat I'm wondering how useful they'd be for him. (he's inside most of the time).

Smooch doesn't wear them very often now, but when he was wearing them they would be on him all day, I did buy baby socks for him to ware in the shoes, so would change the socks a couple of times through the day if it was very hot, on cooler days a clean pair of socks per day.

[Danois]

I know someone who uses the Ruffwear ones because of an allergy type issue. She uses little baby socks in them.

She has spoken highly of them especially for what they have allowed the dog to be able to do without discomfort.

[W Sibs]

I have non slip socks and slippers for Charlie and Emmy. They loves it... well, Emmy did after she got use of them.

We have hardwood floor at home and they can slip and slide all over the place. I put it on at night for them because that's when they are mostly active. Daytime they are mostly sleeping or playing on the rug.

[persephone]

What did your vet say might be the problem? Do his feet still sweat? has he been tested for a fungal infection ? What is the rest of his skin like ? Does he spend a lot of time on concrete? Do you regularly use bleach or cleaner where he walks ? Boots sound great- but it would be nice to maybe fix the problem, if possible

[dogbesotted]

have you tried a zinc supplement...bull breeds sometimes have a problem with zinc absorption that results in skin and dry cracked paws .

H

Edited May 4, 2010 by dogbesotted

[juice]

he has spent alot of his life on concrete i would say, judging by the huge elbow caluses he has

i suppose he is on the patio ( concrete), where the dog beds are, or he lies in the kennels, or often on the concrete floor in the garage if its hot.( i have put carpet down now for him :D

to be honest ,he doesn't move much allday, moves from one soft bed to another

his skin isn't great, flares up with red meat etc, i malasab bath him once a week.

he does love going for a walk in the rain though, runs around like a looney :cool:

[Baby Dragon]

I'm not sure that boots would be the answer, it sounds like there might be an underlying problem... but I definitely recommend Ruffwear Griptrex boots if you're going to get boots! Make sure he has socks on too because they can cause blisters otherwise.

[~Anne~]

I am not sure they'll fit juice.

They are xs - which suits a paw width 5.7cm

Happy for you to come around and have look or take them back to your place to trial if you like.

[juice]

have tried zinc, didn't do anything.

i asked the vet about it, he did say i could try mixing something up( forgot what it was, something like meths, but not ) to harden up his pads, but they are already very hard, i suppose its like cracked heels on humans? perhaps i should get something for human cracked heels and see if it works?

[persephone]

I would try a vet who takes this seriously A dog's pads should NOT be bleeding/cracked.... poor dog. Any photos?

[Skitch]

What sort of creams have you tried? We had a foster dog for a while that had bad feet and found that pawpaw cream really helped .

I used booties on my medium sized mutt when she got really bad bitumen burn from running around on the roads for several days (how that came to be is another story!) and at first she hated them and wanted them off but after a few hours she was pretty content with them.. they looked pretty hilarious on her though. Lol

[skip]

Thanks for this post- my dog could do with boots as he is allergic to grass and becoming more so and we back onto lovely parkland. I brought here particularly as we are near all this open grassland!

I will try Ruffwear. It is more for walks then in the house ( thou they are scratching the wooden floors). Not sure he will wear them. Have to go slow.

Anne - If Juice's dog is too big for those boots?? maybe they would fit my small 10 kg kelpie x? If you did want to sell them , that is? His feet are about 4 to 5 cm across.

I heard pawpaw cream is very good too and it was suggested to me.

[juice]

bit blurry, and he's asleep now, so will get more later.

Edited May 4, 2010 by juice

[persephone]

juice- that's awful, poor dog.I can understand how he is uncomfortable . I really do think you need a different(caring and knoweledgable) vet opinion, and some treatment addressing the cause of it.