As we all know, dogs don't wear shoes. Therefore, unlike humans, they can't walk through life in a way that suits the prevailing weather conditions and protects them from external influences. Of course, they have relatively robust paws. But environmental conditions and heavy loads are often too much for them. The result: cracked skin and painful pads.
The climate also affects the paws of our beloved four-legged friends. But it is not only in summer, when road surfaces slowly heat up like the tiles on a ceramic hob, that our pets' paws are put under strain. Even in winter, when the ground is frozen and slippery surfaces are covered in road salt, many dogs and cats complain of cracked and painful paws.
Paw balm for dogs: How do I use it correctly?
A paw balm for dogs is used for protection and care. Thanks to its creamy consistency, the product is easy to apply to stressed skin and even between the toes. It is also quickly absorbed and can optimally protect and care for your dog's paws.
In addition to careful behavior, you can protect your animal from stressed skin and injuries with a natural paw balm. It nourishes the paws of your four-legged family members and even repairs dry and cracked areas. On top of that, natural products such as the paw balm from Emma Grün have a healing effect due to the high-quality ingredients such as beeswax and propolis. It has been proven that they even have a positive effect on blisters, open wounds and flaky skin.
How often you should apply paw balm to your dog's paws depends on the following factors:
- Environmental factors such as sun, snow and road salt
- Age of the dog
- Condition of the paws
- Everyday stresses
This means that the paws of a working or sporting dog that is outside for several hours every day need to be creamed more often than those of a house dog that is walked three times a day. For four-legged friends whose paws are subject to great stress, we therefore recommend applying cream two to four times. For family dogs, a treatment with a paw balm three times a week is sufficient. The same applies to cats that are not only kept indoors.
Natural paw balm for cats and dogs: What ingredients can it contain and what effect do they have?
A paw balm can consist of various ingredients. But be careful: For the love of your pet, you should avoid products that contain chemical additives and artificial fragrances! Questionable substances such as petroleum or synthetic fragrances can trigger allergies not only in humans, but also in animals.
Natural-based creams are a perfect alternative for paw care. Even if your dog or cat licks its paws after treatment, you don't have to worry because of the following ingredients:
Beeswax:Beewax has an antibacterial effect and, when used regularly, ensures soft and supple skin. In addition, beeswax is not water-soluble and forms a kind of protective film on dog and cat paws. Snow and water can simply bead off and do not dry out the paws. Another plus point: the pores are not clogged either.
Propolis:Propolis is a byproduct that bees produce when making honey. It is an asset for skin care as it not only soothes stressed skin but also relieves inflammation.
Coconut oil:The oil of the coconut palm has an antibacterial effect.
Olive oil:Olive oil is perfect for caring for sensitive skin and provides moisture.
Shea butter:The butter contains animal or vegetable allantoin, which is known for its wound-healing properties.
Cocoa butter:The fat extracted from the seeds of the cocoa tree helps with stressed and dry skin.
Calendula oil:Marigold oil soothes and nourishes the skin, has an anti-inflammatory effect and promotes wound healing.
Lanolin:The tallow fat secreted by sheep has the property of covering wounds like a plaster. This has the advantage that dirt cannot penetrate and torn areas of skin can heal better.
Paw balm for dogs and cats: advantages and disadvantages
Paw balm has various advantages and disadvantages. The following overview tells you what these are:
Advantages
- Nourishes and regenerates dry and cracked skin.
- High-quality ingredients act as a protective layer and protect your pet's paws from environmental influences.
- Makes the skin elastic.
- Supports the healing of stressed cat and dog paws.
Disadvantages
- Dogs and cats have sensitive paws, so some animals may not like to have treatment done in this area of their body.
- It is possible that your four-legged friends will lick the paw balm again and again. However, due to the natural ingredients, this is not a concern for your pets' health. What's more, the balm is absorbed quite quickly, which helps ensure that the nourishing and healing effect can still unfold.
As you can see, the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. For this reason, every pet owner should have a paw balm for their dog or cat at home.
What should you pay attention to when walking your dog to prevent sore paws?
To prevent your four-legged friend from injuring his paws on walks, you should apply paw balm three times a week. Sustainable behavior also prevents wounds on dog paws:
- Walking on tarred roads and paths is harmful to your dog. Especially in the summer months, the surface can get so hot that animals literally burn their paws. It is better to choose shady paths in the forest or the nearby park for the walk. Preferably in the early morning and evening hours. Then your best friend will not injure his paws.
- Walking on gravel and pebble paths can cause pain to your pet. Injuries caused by sharp stones are not uncommon. Soft forest paths, on the other hand, are perfect for daily excursions.
- Dogs love snow and want to romp around in the cold water all the time. They often don't notice how the cold is damaging their paws. However, you shouldn't forbid them from enjoying this fun. Just make sure that the fun doesn't last too long. Twenty minutes is usually enough. Then you should take your furry friend back inside. To ensure that your dog still gets enough exercise, simply take him outside more often and for shorter periods of time on days like these.
Dog paw care: How do I protect my four-legged friend from road salt?
Road salt dries out your dog's paws and makes them rough and cracked. If you don't do anything about it and open sores and inflammation develop, every walk is torture for your dog. As you will soon see, you can protect your four-legged family member from road salt in various ways:
- To ensure that the paws are completely protected and cared for at the same time, it is recommended to apply paw balm before and after the walk. The waxes and oils contained in it act as a protective layer and ensure sufficient care afterwards.
- After every winter walk, you should wash your pet's paws. By washing the paws thoroughly, you not only remove salt residue, but you can also remove small lumps of ice that tend to collect between the toes and dirt at the same time.
- Special dog shoes ensure that your pet's paws do not come into contact with the aggressive salt. Admittedly, most dogs do not particularly like this alternative and literally walk around as if on rotten eggs. But what has to be done has to be done!
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