Dog Paw Pad Callus: Removal & Prevention Tips
Not only is a dog paw pad callus unattractive, but it can cause pain too. Several years ago, Stella (our Bull Terrier) developed a large callus on her left front paw pad, which was attached to her middle toe pad. The rest of her paws were smooth and soft, so I was stumped. I had no idea how this happened.
I took a real close look at her nails and it appeared the middle nail was curving inward ever so slightly, causing a good-sized callus to form on the opposite side of her nail. By gosh, now that I had found the cause, it was time to remove the callus from her paw pad and prevent it from happening again.
What Causes Dog Paw Pad Calluses
Calluses form on the skin as a result of constant friction and use on hard surfaces. Calluses are different than cracked or cut paw pads. They look like a dry chunk of skin attached to your dog’s paw pad. When touching a paw callus, it feels rough, hard and firm. Some dogs develop calluses in certain areas from either walking differently or frequently walking on hard surfaces. Finding the cause of your dog’s paw pad callus is vital for prevention.
Of course, always start with a veterinary exam to rule out illnesses and other paw pad problems. Believe it or not, there are many illnesses and vitamin deficiencies that can cause dog paw pad calluses to develop, so put a plan together with your vet before moving forward. My vet agreed that Stella’s callus was due to abnormal wear of her middle toe, and explained how to remove it painlessly along with prevention tips.
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How to Remove a Callus From Dog Paw Pads
You’ll need lots of super yummy treats and a handheld pumice stone made to remove calluses. Pumice stones can be found at any supermarket in the cosmetic section. Similar to how you remove calluses during a pedicure, you’ll do the same for your dog.
- Soak your dog’s affected paw pad in a flat-bottom bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. If your dog won’t stand still, hold a peanut butter stuffed Kong in front of your dog’s mouth, so she can happily lick away.
- After 5 minutes of soaking, take your dog’s paw out of the water and pat dry with a clean and dry towel.
- Holding your dog’s paw in one hand, rub the pumice stone on top of the paw pad callus with your other hand. If your dog tries to pull or move away, have a friend hold a peanut butter stuffed toy for her to lick.
- At first, apply light-medium pressure on the callus with the pumice stone for a few seconds. Check the area; if the callus is wearing down, then continue for several more seconds. Removing a dog paw pad callus isn’t painful, but over-grinding the area can be, so move slowly and check often.
- Move the pumice stone around the callus until the area looks like a normal paw pad. For Stella’s paw pad callus, I had to move it all over the place because it was sitting on the outside of the paw pad.
- If your dog gets antsy, end the session and try again the following day.
Keep an eye on your dog’s paw pads and remove calluses if needed. Once the dog paw pad callus is gone, it’s time to prevent it from coming back.
Dog Paw Pad Callus Prevention Tips
Well, we all know Stella’s turned nail caused a callus to develop. That’s my fault, and I learned my lesson. Keep your dog’s nails trimmed short; nails shouldn’t touch the ground. You shouldn’t hear a sound when your dog walks on hard surfaces. Interestingly, I noticed another tiny callus forming where the bottom part of a nail touched her paw pad. Stella has small feet, but huge nails. We have to file the bottom of her nails to form a cylinder nail shape and prevent running and pinching of her pads.
It took several weeks to remove Stella’s callus from her paw pad and trim her nails to the right shape and length. We keep her callus soft by moisturizing her paws with either Paw Butter or good old Vaseline every day. If your dog continues to develop calluses, and they’re hard to remove, it’s time for another visit to your veterinarian. He can guide you to the next steps.
Keep your dog’s paw pads moisturized and nails short. Good luck!
