BigGameHoundsmen.com

Got into an extended race on Sunday,apx 8hrs problem was is that it all took place in miles of solid conglomerate rock ( nasty stuff ) tears up your boots real good, Anyway the dogs feet took a real beating, a lot of the pad tissue is just gone, not down to the meat other than the gashes, but the hard shell, all the pressure points are gone leaving a outside border about 1/16in higher than the missing sections, I'm sure some of you guys have had this happen before so how long does it typically take for a hound to recover from this type of injury? is there something I can do to help the paws recover?
thanks Ken

Time big guy.

I have been alternating between six dogs this winter and still have dogs with no feet. I have tried all the snake oil, but time is the only cure I have found.

Thank you Catch, Ive been worried sick that I ruined all 4 in one shot, I'm no big guy just a skinny little old turd trying to learn, and I gotta say I'm not very proud of myself at the moment, I know it happens when you least expect it, but a fellow still blames himself to a point. I saw a post awhile back on big hounds and I have never given it a thought one way or the other. But after packing a few disabled hounds out in multiple trips back to the nearest road the smaller ones seem a bit more appealing, how long have you been waiting for your dogs to heal up? just trying to get some idea of what I'm looking at time wise thanks Ken

Never had it done but if I do this is what I would do to treat it. (every day)
1. Soak them in an epsome salt
2. Put an ointment called "Nature's Edge" on the pads
3. buy some in expensive dog boots so the Nature's Edge wont get wore off on the ground.
PRW

Well, like you we have a lot of rock in Idaho. A few years back I ran a bear in some granite rock and I had to lay the dogs up for 30 days. They had run the pads off and yellow crap was coming out. I have not seen it that bad hunting lions. When the snow gets bad or rocks do them in I hold them off as long as possable. I have a few dogs so I just take fresh dogs. The dogs seem ready to go earlier but I hold off as long as possible.

Hell man, there is no reason to be upset with your self. It happens all the time. The dogs can't get sore feet in a pen on at the end of a chain. To be honest, I'm glad when my dogs have sore feet. That tells me they are getting worked and doing what they love.

Take care big guy! LOL

Catch, I'm not gonna go hang myself or anything I just felt foolish is all for even hunting that spot cause I knew what could happen in a hot race, But I had that feeling that it was the place to be at the time, 30 days!! now that sounds terrible, 2 are better than the other 2, but time will tell I suppose, Geez I took the rest of the week off to hunt the hair off em, guess I will will be ice fishing or yote calling instead, Haven't had the yellow gook yet just some blood, but the damage is still fresh. antibiotics may be in the future if they start leaking gook. Guess its a lesson learned in a way. I may be better off to hunt 2 at a time instead of the whole crew, Thanks for your input the BIG GUY ( they aren't heavy their my hound dogs ) Ken

I've never tried it but an oldtimer that I hunt with swears by stuff called Coppertox. I believe it's mostly used to treat foot root in cattle. He recently had a dog missing for 11 days, when he found him his feet were in bad shape, a week of the coppertox and he was ready to go. The stuff comes in an arosole can. Hope it helps

Aerosol would be good because unless a fella has blood stop and a staple gun handy there is gonna be some "Human Blood Born Pathogens" in the air if you try to mess with their paws right now, Thanks Ken

White gas is supposed to help them harden up and get back at it quicker. I've seen it done and can't say it didn't work. Just put some in a shallow dish and dip them in.

I have personally used the koppertox and I think it works when they are a little torn up. I'm not sure how much good it would do for missing pads.

Not sure that I have ever had them so tore up that I couldn't hunt by the next weekend. I'm really surprised that this is your first experience with this. It seems like it happens to my dogs every spring right around the begining of bear season. You must be down there chasing the coyotes with LCK to have an 8 hour hot race this time of year.

Bearkiller, Ive had lots of torn up pads in my short career, just not this bad. I think 2 of 4 can go on a wimpy hunt next weekend, other 2 are toast for awhile, funny the difference in the pad condition from dog to dog same race same terrain and big difference in damage.
Nope I wasnt hunting with LCK at the time but he has made a believer out of me telling me that life is too short to only chase one critter, the lions and bobs are getting so scarce in my area that chasing yotes makes alot of sense to me, and besides that it is a hoot when you get a good race going, You best keep your wits about you when LCK is around he will make a convert out of the unsuspecting and innocents

Well even talking about running coyotes, for me, is like looking at porn. It feels good while you're doing it but you feel dirty afterwards. We've talked about it before but I just can't bring myself to it. Although, a guy could keep himself busy and burn way less gas around here if he ran coyotes instead of good game.

I feel you pain Ken, I have had my share of pad problems this last year too. For the healing I've been using Vetricyn like they advertised on TV for horses as suggested by my good friend AZlongears/Andy and tuff foot for toughening the pads. The healing was incredible and I think the tuff foothelps some too. The ingredient in the TF that probably helps is the benzoin. We used to use it on our gloves bareback riding and it makes leather tough and hard as hell. Their pads were pretty bad, they healed pretty complete in 2 weeks.
I also bought some boots for one dog that completely lost a pad and only skin grew back. I got the boots from "Ruff Wear". Pretty cool boots, real durable and have a good vibram like sole on them. I've only used them on the front and they stay on real well if you get the velcro good and snug. I've never tried them on the back, some of the reviews complained about them coming off the back feet. The boot has kept the old dog hunting when I actually had little hope for him. Hope this helps
Kenny

Thanks for all the input, I appreciate it. the research I did today on pads seems as controversial as most things are concerning dogs, one line of thought is the harder the pads the more likely cracks and missing chunks are, the other opinion is the softer pads abrade easier, and cut easier, also alot of controversy over using kopertox on dogs due to toxicity concerns, So its a coin toss, simple time and/or pine tar and fullers earth seem to be the best options at least for me.
now Bearkiller yotes and porn are sure a colorful description of how you feel I may use that one next time a warden asks me if I'm lion hunting, No Sir, I'm not lion hunting just out looking for some porn take care Ken

heres what that country looks like, I always called it fox hill, think Im calling it pad ripper from now on.

Bearkiller wrote:Well even talking about running coyotes, for me, is like looking at porn. It feels good while you're doing it but you feel dirty afterwards. We've talked about it before but I just can't bring myself to it. Although, a guy could keep himself busy and burn way less gas around here if he ran coyotes instead of good game.

lmao!!! That got me rolling!