We've got one of our old puppies staying with us, and she's settled in extremely well, and they all get along fine. After 24 hours she's started finding toys and initiating play with the others, so all appears to be well on that front. (Huge sighs of relief!)

Anyway, when Millie was a pup she broke her back leg badly (spiral fracture) but the cast was badly fitted and rubbed her foot, causing even more damage and she ended up having the inside toe and large pad removed, as well as needing sking grafts. The bone healed twisted and her foot sticks out sideways, meaning when she walks too much pressure is put on the outside toe, and walks on tarmac mean a bleeding pad. :( So she's somewhat overweight, which puts more pressure on the toe - Catch 22!

To cut a long story short, I was thinking dabbing surgical spirit on her pads should help toughen them up so she could take more exercise - does anyone else have any suggestions?

What about boots?   I've seen some press about police dogs being fitted with boots when they are being used on ground where there could be broken glass, etc.

Margot

Her owners have tried that, but they fall off within seconds. :(

JG, when Penny was really bad with her arthritis at the tail end of last year, she got very little walking. Now with treatment etc she is bouncing around like a youngster, but her pads were very dry with lack of walking, so I used paw wax, (the stuff used for slipperfloors at shows)  and it helped stop the pads cracking until they softened again with walking, just a little everyday with a few yards further each time.

Witch supposed to toughen feet, and I know it is an excellent anticoagulant and clanser.