Homemade Foot Soaks For Your Pets
To remedy this obsessive licking, set up a foot soak. For small-breed dogs, you can set up a foot soaking station in your kitchen sink or laundry room drop sink.
At my house, I have a walk-in shower, so I just hose them off in there.
Other possibilities include putting a large plastic tub in your mud room or attached garage. Fill up the tub with water, then add iodine (found at most local pharmacies) until the water solution turns the color of iced tea. Some of my clients with giant breed dogs use a kid’s plastic swimming pool for foot baths, and some clients simply dunk their pets’ feet in a bowl….whatever works!
I recommend povidone iodine or Betadine® solution because it’s naturally antifungal, antiviral, safe, non-stinging, non-toxic, and non-abrasive. It’s a very effective disinfectant for your pet’s paws.
You can either have your dog simply walk through the tub a few times, or stand him in it for about 30 seconds. Then pat the paws dry with a towel.
Another option is to just cover his paws with pads soaked in the water and iodine solution. Keep them on for about two minutes, then remove and pat the paws dry. Research shows that soaking the paws is more effective than “dunking,” so either technique will be more effective than simply using a washcloth to remove contaminants.
Dr. Becker’s Comments:
Foot soaks are a great way to disinfect the paws of your dog. I recommend them not just for dogs that have itchy, inflamed, irritated paws, but also for dogs that are exposed to certain contaminants.
In the winter, a major contaminant is salt, which can be very irritating for dogs’ paws. Rinsing his paws off regularly is a great way to keep your pet’s feet decontaminated.
In the summer, on the other hand, it’s important to consider foot soaks because dogs are, of course, naked. They’re not wearing shoes and socks, and the only place your dog sweats (besides the nose), is from the bottom of his feet.
So, in essence, your dog’s feet are like wet Swiffers – they’re bare, they’re moist, and your dog is running through grasses, mud, streams, and leaves. All of these environments can expose your dog’s paws to microscopic allergens, as well as pesticides, herbicides, and other landscaping chemicals.
If you don’t remove these contaminants from their paws, they will usually start to lick them incessantly.
What can you do?
Paw baths are an effective way of cleaning and disinfecting the paws. Removing chemicals, bacteria, and yeast will lead to happier paws.
FAQ
How often should I soak my dogs paws in iodine?
How do you use povidone iodine on dogs paws?
What can I put on my dog’s paws for itching?
- Fill tub or sink with a couple inches of water, enough to cover pads of feet.
- You can find povidone iodine at most grocery stores or pharmacies.
- Dilute povidone iodine with water until it’s the color of iced tea.
- Swish solution around tub while pet stands in it.
- Soak each foot for 2-5 minutes.