How To Harden Stoppers.

[Country Joe 1,411]

My Whippet sliced a piece of his stopper, its not too bad, had him at the vets, who pulled off the dead skin.

advised being kept on a leash for a week, and to bathe the stopper three times a day with salt water, to harden stopper,

I said when back to running free, if out ferreting, I would put Vetwrap on it, for a couple of weeks, but the vet was not keen on this, preferring it not to be covered.

What could you use to harden stoppers, have read to use Friars Balsom, but theres as many against as for.

[lawrence 657]

used to use Friars Balsom to harden bulls pads for road work, messy but done the trick.

 

greyhound store also do stuff called tuf foot

[Country Joe 1,411]

Thanks Lawrence,

I suppose the problem with applying ointment to a stopper if not covered, the dog would lick it off?

[Country Joe 1,411]

Looked this up on a greyhound forum, there are many remedies, but two that kept being mentioned, was dabbing the pad with surgical spirt to harden.

and Padsanol ointment.

Any comments on this would be appreciated.

[Country Joe 1,411]

53 views, and one reply, tut tut,

where are Skycat and Sandymere?

[riohog 5,751]

if the dog is healthy ir will soon heal. hardening stoppers ,, never herd of it,, if it gets cut well thats just bad luck these things happen

[mushroom 13,268]

Would of thought roadwork would be the answer.

 

The ground here is littered with sharp fragments of stone, Trev is always getting little slices and nicks on his ankles, at first he also got them on his pads but since I really got the roadwork going he has not cut his pads once (knock on wood )

 

Shroom

[Bosun11 537]

I wouldn't bother with any hardening lotions & potions, stoppers will harden naturally with free running excercise and above all, work.

No need to try and make 'em any tougher, it's skin, and skin should have a 'natural' elasticity and the stopper needs to 'give' a bit on impact. Over hardening that skin will cause the surface to be brittle and it can rip or pop easier and cause much more damage that is harder to heal.

Damaged stoppers are a pain in the arse but provided you ain't daft with unsuitable ground, just look at it as an occupational hazard...

[Country Joe 1,411]

think i will leave it, no need to worry about road work or free running or work, as this dog is as fit as a fleah,

i think he was just unlucky slicing the pad on a stone or piece of glass, whilst chasing a Buggsy.

Thanks all for your help.

CJ,

[mushroom 13,268]

think i will leave it, no need to worry about road work or free running or work, as this dog is as fit as a fleah,

i think he was just unlucky slicing the pad on a stone or piece of glass, whilst chasing a Buggsy.

Thanks all for your help.

CJ,

 

Think you might be missing mate the point the roadwork in this case is not just for fitness it's to allow the pads to become naturally harder.

[gnipper 6,546]

How would roadwork benefit a dogs stoppers?

[beast 1,884]

soaking in a strong salt solution several times a day does work. some people use epsom salts but regular salt will do just as well. quite whether this will help the stopper pads to stay cut-freeor not i dont know, but it will harden the skin for sure.

[.WARREN. 288]

plenty of road work will harden them

[Bosun11 537]

Roadwork hardens 'foot pads', it does nothing for 'stopper pads' as they don't touch the floor. Roadwork is also excellent for all aspects of feet and fitness but 'stopper's need to be used to be right, that can only come from free motion and using them stopping.

[weasle 1,119]

Soaking dogs feet in potassium peregrinate(spelling) mixed with water will harden feet, if its got white legs they will become purple though.