Unlike humans, who fill their closets with tennis shoes, high heels, and other forms of sole protection, dogs and cats prefer going barefoot. In hot weather and cold, on hard ground and soft, they pad about on tough, flexible pads that provide incredible protection.
When the paw pads take more of a beating than nature intended, however, they may form a thick layer of protective callus, which is much less flexible than the pad itself. And when the callus gets rough treatment, it may crack, says Patricia Ashley, D.V.M., a veterinary resident in dermatology at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville. Cracks in the pads can be very painful and are prone to infection, she explains.
Most dogs and cats don't have a problem with callus, she adds. But dogs that work hard in harsh climates -- sled dogs, for example -- will often have problems with painful cracks.
Callus isn't the only thing that causes paw cracks. Allergies can also be a problem. Unlike humans, who often sneeze or scratch when allergies flare, pets tend to get itchy feet. They will lick and bite and chew at their feet, sometimes for hours at time. The pads can get wet, sore, and raw, causing cracks to form, says Nancy E. Wiswall, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in Bethesda, Maryland.
Internal illnesses can also cause pad problems. Pets with liver disease, for example, may develop paw cracks. They are also related to zinc deficiency, which occurs in pets fed low-quality foods and in certain dog breeds with a genetic tendency to absorb too little zinc. Problems with the immune system can cause cracking as well, says Steve Young, D.V.M., a veterinarian in private practice in North Scituate, Rhode Island. So if your pet is feeling under the weather and is also having paw problems, there is a good chance that the problems are related. This is especially true if more than one pad is cracked.
In cats, pad cracks as well as swelling may be caused by an illness called plasma cell pododermatitis, in which the immune system doesn't work the way it should.
Cracks in your cat's pads aren't always easy to spot, adds Dr. Ashley. Unlike dogs, which tend to develop deep, ugly cracks, cats usually get cracks that appear as fine white lines or a bit of flaking skin.
See Your Vet If...
- More than one pad is cracked
- Your pet bites or licks his feet
- He has been feeling under the weather
- The cracks appear as fine white lines
- Your pet has begun having trouble walking, getting up, or climbing stairs
- One or more legs is dragging
- He has a limp that doesn't go away
- One or more legs is in an awkward position
- There is swelling in the toes, feet, or legs
- Your pet can't get up
- Your pet is constantly licking or biting his feet
- The nails are broken, cracked, or bleeding
- There are cuts, blisters, growths, or burns on his paw pads
- Your pet is lame first in one leg and then another
- He has pain when jumping off a bed or changing position
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