sore paw!!

[dennned 172]

Out of interest what are peoples methods of healing and preventing sore nail beds? or quicks as some call them.

[dennned 172]

wash them with a nail brush to clean all the shit after a nights work , then put a small amount of sudocrem on if they are badly infected , but if you have cleaned them every time you come in they wont get infected, so a little time after each nights hunting to wash the feet and check for grazes is the answer, good luck

Edited December 10, 2007 by dennned

[Guest joe ox]

denned, I do wash my dogs feet and quicks everytime they have been run I was just wondering what other peoples methods were and what concoctions they use to cure and prevent sore quicks. You have told me nothing I dont already know. No matter how well a dogs quicks are looked after at some point in its running career they WILL become sore if the dog is regulary run especially if the ground is rough. There was a excellent write up on this forum sometime ago describing how to tape the quicks up to prevent soreness but sadly I cannot find it.

[pegleg 0]

i know there are some ointments made for sled raceing dogs that are suppossed to work well and also some preventive ointments available here but i think running dogs have more nail contact with the ground due to foot design most people here breed more for "cat footed"dogs than "harefooted" or elongated dogs and this might slow a dog down but i doubt it. the one ointment i've used is supposed to protect slipped pads and worked well as long as the dog didn't lick it of before it dried but i wouldn't think it would stand any hard work but the preventives seem to harden all skin they are used on and are fairly inexpensive. shipping might not be though

[lurcherchavvy 3]

dogs much better now will start taking him out next week lightly and then i have got a run on for sunday week and i cant wait been boring not being able to take him out this week and will be the same this weekend

[suluki 2]

glad to here it mate! get him fit!!!!

[salukixminshaw 1]

joe you have to luck after your dogs feet make sure you wash them down when you get in if running on earthy fields and youll not get them problems mate

[Guest joe ox]

salukixminshaw I think you mean look not "luck"

[salukixminshaw 1]

i was just trying to be helpfull joe

[comeonsteveuk 0]

denned, I do wash my dogs feet and quicks everytime they have been run I was just wondering what other peoples methods were and what concoctions they use to cure and prevent sore quicks. You have told me nothing I dont already know. No matter how well a dogs quicks are looked after at some point in its running career they WILL become sore if the dog is regulary run especially if the ground is rough. There was a excellent write up on this forum sometime ago describing how to tape the quicks up to prevent soreness but sadly I cannot find it.

hi mate years ago i found this stuf made by (gold label) most farm shops or horse shops it is called udder cream used for cows tits a water-miscible cream to maintain udder health prevents chaps and sores speeds up healing of cut and grazes tub was £4.00 for 450gm great for sore quicks as long as you wash them 1st i use hibiscub 5ml to 3/4 pint warm water dry the foot of then put cream on regs steveuk

[skycat 6,173]

I copied this from an article:::

 

Padsanol is an excellent way to prevent cracked and dry pads, and whilst diet goes a long way to aiding healthy feet, some lurchers will suffer from pad problems from time to time especially if they are run constantly on wet ground: it’s the same sort of condition that plagues livestock farmers whose hands are continually exposed to wet and cold during the winter months as they care for their sheep and cattle.

 

Rub the Padsanol into the dog’s pads on a daily basis, preferably just before bed time so that the ointment has all night to be absorbed.

 

Sore pads are not the only problem suffered by running dogs during wet winter weather, and some lurchers are prone to sore nail beds, or quicks.

 

I’ve long wondered why one lurcher can run all night or day on muddy fields and come home with absolutely no soreness around their nail beds, whilst others need only run once on wet earth for this painful condition to occur.

 

I have two lurchers which are at risk from the sore nail bed syndrome, and they run over exactly the same ground as the others, who never suffer from this problem, so I have concluded that the reasons behind the condition must be due to foot and claw shape and running style.

 

When the dog runs hard on wet ground and especially whilst turning, fine particles of soil, sand or clay, depending on the area, are forced up under the skin which covers the nail bed. Repeated galloping under such conditions is akin to rubbing your own cuticles with sandpaper!

 

The inside and outside toes on the foot are always more liable to soreness as the full weight of the dog whilst turning tight on its quarry forces more mud under the nail bed than whilst running in a straight line.

 

I must confess to not having found a cure for this problem, but I do know how to prevent it, a tip given to me by a coursing friend several years ago. It’s a fiddly job but one that gets easier the more you practice it! Here’s how you do it..….

 

You will need a roll of Elastoplast Fabric Stripping which is available from any chemist, (the pink stuff about an inch in width), a pair of very sharp scissors and a tube of Superglue!

 

Cut a length of the Elastoplast about 6 inches long, then, preferably with someone holding one end of the Elastoplast you have taken, cut it into 4 pieces lengthways: this is the fiddly bit, but you need to end up with four strips as narrow as possible, for you are going to wrap them around the dog’s claws.

 

Take one dog’s foot which you have previously washed and dried thoroughly. It is very important to remove ALL traces of mud and dried earth from under the nail bed before you start binding. You must also trim the fur around the top of the claw as short as possible in order for the Elastoplast to stick properly.

 

Please DO NOT attempt this binding of claws if there is any soreness, infection or damage around the nails beds, which need to be healthy, dry and clean before you start: I cannot emphasise this too strongly.

 

If the dog is already suffering from sore nail beds then daily washing in salt water and the application of a topical antiseptic should cure the problem, though bad cases can take several weeks to heal.

 

Take a piece of the Elastoplast and place it about half way up the dog’s claw, then wind firmly, but not too tightly around the claw moving upwards towards the toe. When you reach the nail bed continue over the edge of the skin with the last couple of turns so that the quick, or nail bed, is covered by the Elastoplast.

 

Take the Superglue and put one tiny drop on the loose end of the Elastoplast and press it firmly down on to the Elastoplast underneath. DO NOT Superglue the Elastoplast to the dog’s skin!

 

Aim to finish your binding so that the end of the Elastoplast is on top of the toe. The Elastoplast needs to be stretched as you wind it on to the claw, but not too tightly or it will cause the dog intense discomfort as well as cutting off the circulation.

 

If the Elastoplast is too tight your dog will, at the very least, chew off the binding before you get on the field, and at the worst you risk damaging the quick and claw by cutting off the blood flow

 

I always try and bind the claws several hours before running the dog as the Elastoplast holds better if it has been in situe for a while before exposing it to damp and pressure. I’ve not yet had a dog that will try and remove the strips unless they have been too tightly applied, though if your dog does try and chew them off overnight, for example, you can apply them just before you go out, but bear in mind that they won’t stick quite as well as if they had been stuck on several hours beforehand.

 

VERY IMPORTANT! You MUST remove the Elastoplast strips immediately the dog has finished running upon your return home. Responsible, caring owners always wash their lurchers’ feet as a matter of course after working the dog in muddy conditions. This is doubly important if you use the Elastoplast nail bed protection method.

 

I wash the dog’s feet in hot salt water, as hot as I can comfortably put my hands in: hot water melts the Superglue and Elastoplast adhesive and I’ve found that I can usually pull the binding straight off the claw with no problem whilst I’m washing the foot.

 

If you have a problem removing the bindings then simply soak the foot in hot water for a few moments longer until the glue softens.

 

 

Like I said at the top: I copied this from an article, and it is a fiddle, but well worth it: my best bitch wouldn't run much at all in the wet weather if I didn't do her claws up like this. Try it and see for yourselves. This is just one toe done in the pic, though I find that its the inside and outside claws that get worst damaged so I usually just do those, on front and hind feet.

 

Hope this helps.

[Guest joe ox]

Thanks comeonsteveuk. Skycat that is the article I was talking about thankyou.

[jedandlevo 8]

lookly for my i live roung the corner from a grey hound vet so he sorts my dog for me but when ever i have problems with my dogs feet he just tells me to bath its feet in a bowl of luke warm salty water 3 times a day,( 1 tea spoon of salt to a pint of water) but if it looks bad i would consult your lokal vets .hope this info helps you mate as for running it again i would wait until its feet/pads have fully healed as the dog might tear the old wound open and make things worse .hope this info helps you mate good look

[lurcherchavvy 3]

cheers lads for your answers dog wont get worked for a while i fractured my foot last weekend so the dog will have a good rest