Teddy Has a Boo Boo

My poor pup!  She has been holding her paw up like this for a month.  She has cracks on her pads on this foot. I have tried everything.  Creams, salves, sprays and now hydrogen peroxide.  She will not let us put her in the car anymore so we can't take her to the vet.  She won't let a stranger near her so no at home vet calls.  Nothing is easy with this one! I am pouring the hydrogen peroxide on it just to try to keep it from getting infected.  Has anyone else had this problem and what did you do?  I feel so bad for her.  She is one tough cookie so this has to really hurt her for her to hold her paw up.
 Yesterday was the start of garden cleanup.  I tackled the outdoor sink first.  It was a real mess.  Click to enlarge any photos.

 This countertop was made from the old bluestone pavers which were the original paths around my house.

 Once I had it cleaned I placed the clean shelves back in their spots.

 Then I tackled the potting table.  This old farm table is still pretty sturdy considering it has been outside all year long for 7 years now.

Teddy finds her spot in the shade under her umbrella.

What shade?
Awwww....poor limping puppy!

 A clean potting bench.

I am trying to not junk it up too much but I love decorating it with all kinds of favorite things.
Same for the sink area.  I am heading out to a garden center for the first trip of the season and hope to get some flowers to plant in this area.  This is where my dead maple sits and now I need to grow something to fill the area in.

Comments

brokenteepee said…
I hope you figure it out for poor Teddy
Jane T. said…
How about Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream - it was originally developed for horses hooves I think!
JennyD said…
It sounds to me since you've tried so many things and still a month has gone by, that something is actually embedded into his paw. Get the vet to give you tranquilizing pills for him, then get him to the vet when he won't kick up a fuss, and they can sedate him and work on that foot. Important to get that looked at before some really bad stuff can happen. Just a suggestion and sure hope it works out well.
LOVE your blog :D
Leanne said…
poor Teddy yes i too think something is in her foot causing the irritation a vet trip would be best - poor Teddy won;t like that.
Marie said…
Oh, poor puppy! :(

In the very cold weather here our dog used to get cracked paws from the very low humidity in winter, plus walking on the snow and salted roads. I also tried a lot of different creams, but the only thing that helped her was something sold at our pharmacy that was developed for the army for use out in the field.

It's called Försvarets Hudsalva (literally "Army's Skinsalve") and comes in stick form, so it's easy to apply to the paw area. After I started using it last year, Miss Sophie has had no further trouble with cracked paws. If you'd like some, let me know and I'll send it to you.
cl said…
May I please come sit in your yard. It is so beautiful. I love seeing it come alive.
JennyD said…
Jaz, I found an excellent article on just this problem. Go read this; it gives step by step things to do and ck for:

http://www.dailypuppy.com/articles/how-to-heal-cracked-paw-pads-on-a-dog_1551.html

Giving Teddy a virtual pat,
JennyD
Poor Teddy, I hope her paw heals soon! Would she let you wrap it with some ointment?

I envy that you can get in your garden to start cleanup, our yard is still covered in snow!
sheravery said…
Poor Teddy! Have you thought of trying a slave called Bag Balm? It was originally made for cow's udders, but it is a multi-purpose wonder! Try putting some on her paw and then 'rig' up a sock for her; one she cannot pull off. I have used it for that same malady and it worked like a charm. Good luck.
Danni said…
Poor Teddy! If it's been a month, I would look to see if something is embedded in her paw causing the cracking.

If not, wash it really well with warm water, apply a healing salve (think bag balm) and apply either bandages or a small sock to keep the moisture in her pad. I had to do that with my Jack Russell mix, Luna. She hated the bandages, but was ok with a sock.
Creepy Glowbugg said…
Poor Teddy! Be careful with the hydrogen peroxide, as it will kill the germs, but ii inhibits the regrowth of healthy cells. I'd recommend some Betadine to sanitize the skin, and then some of those balms that others have suggested.
Gotta get Teddy on the mend.
Betadine is good to have on hand, especially if she hates to go to the vet. I use it on my cat, Chubz, when the mean kitties bite him. Saves a ton of money on vet bills, and keeps the infections at bay. My vet tech recommended it to me.
Anonymous said…
Did You try olive oil as I suggested? It usuallky works well on my dogs paws but it all depends on how deep it goes I guess.

Bertil has problems too now after a fight with some other cat so I need to capture him and he knows it so he won't come even remotely close to me now :-)

I like both the outdoor sink and the table but it is impressive that it still stands after sven years outside :-)

Have a great day!
Christer.
Megs said…
Oh, I hope all these good suggestions help Teddy! My silly bull terriers love going to the vet, but they chew anything you put on their paws. Our vet gave us some of their bandages to help a sore paw heal after we put cream on it- maybe your vet can do the same. It was like a little sock.
Just Ducky said…
Bag Balm definitely! It was designed to heal and protect cow udders and it really works!
thewiildmagnola said…
saying a prayer for precious Teddy girl. i hope the answer come to you now.

several good suggestions.
Nellie said…
Poor Teddy! I'm no good with cures for things like this. Hopefully something will begin to work for it. Maybe Cerave moisturizer would be something to try.
J.E. Bolton said…
Awwww...Poor little Teddy. Get better soon, buddy.
Tammy said…
Bag Balm for sure...and beware that peroxide. It can kill surrounding tissue.
Guillaume said…
You have a cute dog.
Barb said…
Poor Teddy, I hope you can solve her problem soon. I think your potting bench is just perfect! I love the way you decorate it.
Shannon said…
I did a search and found this. I hope it helps Teddy.

http://lajollamom.com/2012/01/dogs-cracked-paw-pads/
Anonymous said…
uh oh, we had this trouble with our dog, I used coconut oil, its anti bacterial naturally and it won't hurt if they lick it, your garden looks wonderful in all seasons!!!
Jennifer Rose said…
really hope teddy's foot heals soon. its been a pretty long time for her to be still limping, are you sure it is just the cracks causing her to limp?? did she maybe pull something as well? if she really wont go the vet, your options would be to probably get some cream/lotion/antibiotics from the vet and then you give them to her. probably stop using the peroxide, might be doing more harm then good at this point, might be drying the area out more and really it doesnt help with regrowth. you could get tranquillizer pills to give them to her to make her all loopy and then try to take her, but i dont know how chow chows react to them, some breeds react pretty badly.
if she starts chewing/gnawing more then normal on the foot, you might have to find a way to get her to the vet. something might be in it, or she could make the cracks worse :/

I have had to groom sedated dogs that did not like having their feet touched, but often it was the only way to work on them and the dogs where no worse for wear after. Most owners would kill 2 birds with one stone and take their dogs to the vet afterwards while it was still loopy :p
Debby said…
I've heard that the Bag Balm works very well. Have you tried Neosporin. I would get Teddy to vet somehow. If he is sedated how would you carry him. Wish they could talk. Good luck.
TARYTERRE said…
Poor Teddy. Hope you find relief for her soon.
Nancy said…
Is a product called Cutemol available in your area? I recommended it once for the same problem in a friend's cocker spaniel and it really helped but I think you need to get Teddy to the vet. If your vet knows you, they should give you some sedatives so you can get him there and his pad can be treated properly. I would think he will need to be off it for a while with it wrapped in that self-adhesive wrap that is so popular now. Good luck.
I get cracks in the skin of the soles of my own feet.

Right now I use organic virgin coconut oil, the kind that's solid at room temperature. It's the best moisturizer I've found. Just melt a pea sized amount in your palms and rub it in.

In addition, when the cracks are really bad and painful to walk on, I will duct tape them. This does a few things to help; one, it causes the skin to retain moisture which keeps it soft and allows it to heal, two, it holds the skin in position so that it won't re-tear from walking which also allows it to heal. I've tried multiple kinds of tape, but duct works the best. I just cover the fissure and let the tape stay on until it comes off naturally with the shedding skin.

Hope that helps!
Herbalgirl said…
I agree with those who suggest vet visit to ensure nothing's imbedded into the foot. Then, a thick salve such as Bag Balm. As a herbalist, I often make calendula salves for my human patients, which are gentle and healing. This could also be used if you have a good health store nearby. Needs to be super thick and water resistant.
Anonymous said…
Poor teddy. Very difficult. we use to put turmeric with oil here for any wounds!
Cleaning garden is a very great work!
Mountainrose said…
Wash Teddy's paws with warm water and do a gentle probe to see if anything is in the paw. Once the paw is dry, pout a little Witch Hazel over the cracks. It's gentle and cleansing and aids in healing without stinging. a bit of coco butter to help seal the dirt out while Teddy is walking around will also aid in healing.
luckybunny said…
Yay for cleaning up and getting ready to garden! Now I see what's up with Teddy, ouchie :( This is super tough to deal with on most dogs, let alone Teddy and a Chow. 2 years ago one of my Pyrenees needed surgery on a foot and it was a nightmare getting it to heal. I would say you'd need to bandage it - with whatever treatment is going to work best, but I realize that's not easy or not a possibility even so in that case, I'm not sure. It's a tough one. It's not infected is it? Just sore? Hoping the Vet has some good ideas for you.
JoonieBeans said…
So sorry about Teddy. I've seen a new product for humans with severely cracked hands. It's called O'Keefes. Available at most drugstores.
We sedate or Lab, or try, before Vet visits. His mind seems to remain sharp but he has no control over his body. He literally tipped over once. He seems to wonder why he feels the way he does and its pathetic. Maybe all dogs don't react the same way. Prayers for you and Teddy.