Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Flooring types linked to paw and leg problems in breeding dogs
By Stella, Judith et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2025·Department of Comparative Pathobiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A cross-sectional study to investigate associations between flooring substrates and prevalence of limb and paw abnormalities of dogs housed in commercial breeding facilities.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs in commercial breeding facilities were examined for foot and leg problems, including wet paws, calluses, and matted fur. The dogs were living on different types of flooring like concrete and gravel, and a veterinary dermatologist checked their paws, toenails, and overall cleanliness. About 12.6% of the dogs had wet paws, and 11.26% had calluses. The study suggested that changing the flooring could help reduce these issues and improve the dogs' well-being.
People also search for: dog paw problems · wet paws in dogs · calluses on dog feet · dog cleanliness in breeding facilities
Abstract
Understanding the impact of environmental and management factors on the health and behavior of dogs housed in commercial breeding (CB) facilities is critical to their welfare. The specific aims of the study were to assess (a) associations between combinations of flooring substrates commonly used in CB kennels with foot, elbow, or hock abnormalities such as pododermatitis, calluses, or interdigital furuncle and (b) the impact of flooring substrate on dog cleanliness. Dogs (= 373) from CB facilities (= 20), housed on combinations of concrete, gravel, and diamond-coated expanded metal were assessed. A veterinary dermatologist examined each dog's paw, toenails, elbows, hocks, body condition, and overall cleanliness. Identified conditions included wet paws (12.6%), calluses (11.26%), erythema (6.97%), and matted paw fur (6.17%). Mixed-effects logistic regression models identified an effect of sex and wet paws (OR 6.08, CI 1.23, 29.92,= 0.03) and age with matted paw fur (OR 1.52, CI 1.12, 2.07,= 0.007). A few conditions were identified, including pododermatitis, hygromas, and interdigital furuncles, where management alterations might result in improved outcomes and welfare states for dogs in CB facilities.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40046418/