following on from my lameness thread my pups paw is sort of healing but still needs a boot for outside and is still a bit lame. The vet said its like corn now, scar tissue and maybe still a bit of infection, and gave more antibiotics, low dose, and to wash twice a day in hibiscrub.
If this doesn't work then she said we might have to use something like aloe to soften the hard part that has developed near the big pad and to try and break it down.
Which is the best Aloe to buy and does it go on concentration when brought? I did see some in the horse section of our local scats/mole store a couple of weeks back but not sure if this concentrated enough.

Hi Lorri,

Just make sure it's 100% ~ Aloe is safe for dogs to lick, but if it's not 100% then the additional ingredients (additives) may not be safe for animals licking.

I'm a big fan of Aloe but if you have no joy with it I highly recommend 'Musher's secret' paw wax (it's one of those 'must have' products in a home kit!) especially during road gritting season.

Hope this helps and good luck x

Higher Nature do a Aloe specifically for animals so safe if ingested. It is recommended by the Holisticvet Nick Thompson. I have used it for sore skin but never for breaking down/softening hard skin. I know Hibiscrub can be very drying....colloidal silver is a very good natural antibiotic and won't dry out the skin leading to hardening.

Not to detract from the OP topic of Aloe, but here's a link (for future ref)
http://musherssecret.net/

I'd second Hibiscrub for cleaning then moisturise and massage the scar tissue with a dog safe cream.  When my daughter had an operation on her foot last year the doctor told her to massage regularly and more firmly than she might want to in order to break down the scar tissue.  Apparently this is an important step which is often missed by patients after painful operations.  It sounds as if your pup would also benefit!

My understanding is that it's the action more than the cream that matters for breaking down scar tissue - but I'd use Ultrasalve Ointment if it were me as I keep this stuff in my dog first aid kit and cannot recommend it highly enough.  It's my dog equivalent of Savlon

HTH

Think the Aloewas to also help with infection and inflammation if it doesn't settle after another  week of antib's. They took a biopsy over a week ago so he has a little slit in the affected bit but he still has like a lump of pad that is extra to his normal large pad.
Nothing was found on biopsy except scar tissue from recent infection and possible cause of foreign body but nothing was found.

I will look at the recommendations made by you, thanks. I guess we all have our favourite must haves in the 'dog box' - my dog box has more pills potions and lotions than the human one!

Our ten year old developed what initially was diagnosed as a corn to the side of one of his front pads & caused a lot of discomfort. I'd say it's due to his severe front leg deformities, walking across his joints causing uneven pressure on his pads (I have been told the medical name for it but as usual forgotten) eventually used coconut oil on it daily if not twice, keeping it soft & gently removing any scab or hard skin that had developed. Some months on & - hurrah - it's settled down, doesn't give him problems & although still check it daily after walks, treat every other day when they have a good groom.

Well I hope not deformity! He's only nearly 4mths old but this has been ongoing for  a month. I have got coconut oil but they get it in their dinner so if I put on his paw it makes him lick his foot.