Why Your Dog’s Paws are Turning Pink?
Pink paws often indicate an inflammation of the paws, medically referred to as canine pododermatitis. Inflamed paws look red or pink and swollen and can sometimes produce a discharge. You’ll observe your dog failing to use the affected paw as that would exert pressure on the paw, causing pain.
Canine pododermatitis can result in secondary infections that are more resilient to treatment. Painful abscesses can develop due to prolonged inflammation of the paws. With these in mind, pet parents have good reasons to worry about their dog’s paw discoloration.
Puppies often have pink paw pads, much like human babies have soft and sensitive feet. As the puppies grow, you’ll notice a hard, tougher skin developing on the paw pads. The tougher skin helps your puppy navigate rough, rocky ground without damaging the flesh and tissues in the paws.
If your dog isn’t a puppy, and the paws aren’t naturally pink, it’s time to dig deeper into the paw discoloration. Here are 7 possible causes for the change in your dog’s paws to pink or a light red color. Some conditions causing pododermatitis require urgent medical attention to end your dog’s pain.
Walking on hot rods and pavements results in burns or blisters
Asphalt is well known to heat up to harmful temperatures in the hot sun. Dogs don’t encounter pavements or roads in the wild, which explains why they do well in the heat without paw protection. Our domesticated pups, however, walk on pavements which can burn the paws, causing painful blisters.
If the surface is too hot to touch for more than 10 seconds, it will probably burn your dog’s paws. Burns is a severe medical condition that, unfortunately, most pet parents are unaware can happen. Hot temperatures can also cause your dog’s paw pads to dry out, causing them to crack.
The PawSafe dog paw butter is specially formulated to protect your pup’s paw pads from weather damage. The paw balm moisturizes paws and adds a protective barrier around the feet against harsh weather conditions. Avoid human lotions on the paw pads, as these typically soften them too much, resulting in injuries.
You can protect your dog’s feet with doggy boots if you must walk your dog on a sunny day. The best way to keep weather-related burns far from your pup’s paw pads is waiting until sundown before walks. Dogs with pavement burns have swollen red or pink paws that are painful upon touching the ground.
What Color Should a Dogs Paw Pads Be?
Dogs’ paw pads vary in color from black, dark brown, tan to pink or even white or grey. Some dogs have a combination of colors, or their paw pads look patchy. This is generally nothing to worry about. However, if you think theirs a problem with your dog’s paws, you should consult a vet.
Dogs’ paw pads feel like leather but are made from epidermis, tough outer skin similar to the soles of human feet. The difference is that as dogs walk around with bare feet, their paw pads become tougher. Sometimes dogs develop rough paws if they’ve damaged them slightly. Healthy dog paw pads should feel smooth and be free from abrasions.
The color of a puppy’s paw pads, as well as their fur, nose, and skin color, is genetically pre-determined. Some dogs have a mixture of colors, while others have pink paw pads as they carry a gene that means they can’t produce pigment in their skin.
Often puppies are born with pink paw pads or light-colored pads, which will change color or darken over time. A puppy’s paw pads go through a process as they grow that’s known as d “marbling.” As the puppy grows up, the skin on his paws, nose, and inside his mouth changes color from pink to black or brown.
Sometimes a dog’s paw pads will look slightly discolored, which could be caused by various things. Obviously, dogs are always walking around, and their paw pads will come into contact with a variety of weather and terrains. Dogs’ paw pads can get discolored due to environmental exposure and can change color slightly because of grass or mud stains.
While grass stains are nothing to worry about, some conditions can cause your dog’s paw pads to change color. If the fur between your dog’s paws looks reddish-brown, this may be a sign of a yeast infection. Yeast infection will make your dog’s paw pads look inflamed.
Allergies, fleas, or frostbite could also cause red, swollen paw pads. Dogs’ paw pads can also become burnt by walking on hot pavements. It’s best to keep your dogs off roads and sidewalks during scorching weather.
If your dog’s paw pads have turned white recently, this may be due to dryness or salt exposure. However, it may also be caused by more severe issues such as hyperkeratosis, hard pad disease, hookworm dermatitis, or an auto-immune condition called vitiligo.
Color changes are common in puppies, but in older dogs may indicate an issue, particularly if your dog’s paw pads also look inflamed. Conditions such as hormonal disorders and cancer can change the color of a dog’s paw pads.
Sometimes a dog will get a cut or scratch on their paw pads which may become infected. In the worse cases, this could lead to discolored lesions.
Dogs’ paw pads are generally pink, brown, black, or grey. It’s common for puppies to have pinker paw pads which will darken or change color as they grow up. If your dog’s paw pads change color, it could indicate a health problem, especially if the pad looks swollen. You should consult your vet if you’re at all worried about the color or texture of your dog’s paw pad.
Dog Paw Problems: 7 Most Common Issues and What to Do About Them
Canine parents are no less conscientious than human parents. They note every little change their furbabies go through and then log on to the internet to drive themselves insane trying to figure what it all means.
If you’ve been noticing your canine’s paws changing color and need to know what it means – you’ve come to the right place.
So, why are your dogs’ paws pink and black? Pink and black paw pads may just be your dog’s natural coloration. But if they’re a puppy, they may be growing a tougher outer skin, like a callus, for rough terrain. It could also mean that the tough layer of skin on an adult dog’s paw pads is coming off.
Luckily for you, this dog paw-centric article will focus on all aspects of why your dog’s paws are pink and black. And, there’s a handy little section on what you can do to keep your doggy’s paw pads safe and healthy!