Bad Wheel

Birdhunter1 · Post by **Birdhunter1** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 1:58 am

Saturday afternoon when I got home after a hunt and got Rocket out of his dog box I noticed he was holding his left front foot up and putting no pressure on it. A quick glance revealed a 1/2" long by 1/8" wide gash on one of his paw pads. I applied the stuff listed below (not that exact stuff, same stuff different brand) which is what I usually use for small stuff. Question is should I keep him out of the field for a week or two and let it heel or go ahead and hunt him?

http://www.gundogsupply.com/padkothapjac.html

Post by **Greg Jennings** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 7:38 am

Maybe I over-react, but I don't run a dog on a sore foot. I put them up to give it a chance to heal.

Best regards,

Birdhunter1 · Post by **Birdhunter1** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:43 am

Looking at it again today Rocket will probably be on the disabled list till the end of the month. Our preserve shuts dwon around mid-march so I hope that wasn't the last hunt I'll get with him till October.

Post by **pear** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 2:45 pm

I'd sure be careful, to not push it............one extra hunt's not worth permanent damage. I had a GSP get a bad pad years ago that never did heal right because I pushed him too soon. Remained tender till the end.............."pear"

Birdhunter1 · Post by **Birdhunter1** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:07 am

He looked alot better today and didn't appear to be limping on it. I still won't push it though, he needs a break he's been hunting too hard all year and it's going to his head. Tha dog is more fired up when he sees me walk to the truck with a guncase than I am when he goes on point. Kinda funy, dog gets birdy and owner gets birdy all at the same time.
It'll be a hard day going hunting tomorrow without him, knowing that he will be extremely po'd while I'm gone.

TAK · Post by **TAK** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:26 am

Let him heel up... If you don't you can always boot him up! Also clean and disinfect every day. Pads are always in dirt, mud water and the other stuff too!
As when it startes to scabe I would start applying tuff foot or another brand of pad care...

Birdhunter1 · Post by **Birdhunter1** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:46 am

I've been aplying a hot spot and wound spray and it is also a pad conditioner. It's not this stuff but it is about the same stuff:

http://www.gundogsupply.com/padkothapjac.html

TAK · Post by **TAK** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:53 am

Get you some Tuff pad too! It does wonders for tuffining up pads. I got some from trialers in Arizona and if you have been there you will know why! I don't think there is 1 inch of ground out there that won't stick them, peel them or rip your dogs feet apart! If it isn't the cactus it is the lava rock.

Birdhunter1 · Post by **Birdhunter1** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:55 am

Some guys that go to Texas that I know buy a few rolls of duct tape and make a boot for their dogs and run that on them. They claim that if it ain't the cactus it's the sand burrs, or the rocks.

TAK · Post by **TAK** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 2:21 am

I can't remember the name of the boots but I know LCS sales them and they are made in Oklahoma. They are all rubber... Life Savers!

Post by **Ayres** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 3:43 am

Speaking of tough feet, my dog's feet all feel like the skin on your elbow when it's dry and rough. I know it's a good thing to be tough, but should it be so rough all the time? If he catches me with a paw across the face when we're playing and wrestling around (or when he stretches out beside me on the bed and decides to give me a little push towards the edge), the pads scratch me (not the nails).

Birdhunter1 · Post by **Birdhunter1** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 6:11 am

Like a callous?

Regardless of if the pads on your dog are torn or cut or whatever it doens't hurt to put this stuff on it.