Buy Your Dog a Set of Summer Booties
If you are a dog owner in an area with cold or snowy winters, you are probably used to wrapping your puppy in dog booties to protect his paws from cold, ice and salt. But these paws also need protection from the hot summer sidewalk.
Reddit user u / RealSimplexity this week announced this PSA to pet owners who are most likely wearing their own shoes on these hot summer walks and may forget that paws can burn as well as feet:
Walking past the corner shop today, I noticed a poor puppy struggling to stay away from the burning sidewalk. Most people don’t think about it right away, but animal pads will burn on hot surfaces, just like yours. (Especially in hot summer.) Usually, if it burns you, it burns you. You can buy some pretty cheap shoes online and take the pain away from your furry friends!
VetsNow , the UK’s Veterinary Services, is suggesting dog owners use the “seven second rule”. Place the back of your hand on the ground for seven seconds. If you’re struggling to hold it, it’s too hot. Or just walk barefoot over it for a few seconds and see how quickly you jump.
(Also, if you want to see what a burnt dog paw looks like, head over to VetsNow’s article . If I wasn’t sure already, this photo would have done it for me.)
If your dog has dry paws due to the weather, u / vollkoemmenes suggests applying a balm to the paw pads to help moisturize and protect them.