further thoughts about deri-sal for dogs

A friend suggested to me today that it might be unwise to put Deri-sal on Penny's paws, because she might lick it off. So now I'm not sure if I will use it again. If I do, I'll put a bandage around her paw so she can't lick the salve.

Next time I'm at the vet clinic, I'll ask for his advice, and I'll write a post about what I find out.

I thought this thread about horse injuries was very interesting. I was once told that liniments and salves for horses are suitable for dogs, because their skin pH is similar. However, on reading this page I find they are somewhat different.

PetMD has a good summary of what we need to know about canine skin pH, in relation to shampoos, and I guess the same would apply to skin medications.

a balm for sore paws in dogs

I've been searching Australian sites for Bag Balm every since Mitch and Molly mentioned it in a comment on my post about Penny's sore paws, but had no luck. But today I went into my favorite pet shop, Murphys, and asked if there might be an Australian equivalent. This is the most amazing store, with a great variety of toys, food, health items, grooming, and everything I've ever needed. (No, I don't have anything to do with the store except to be a satisfied customer, lol.)

The product I came home with - Deri-Sal - was quite expensive, but I'm glad to have it on hand for the future. I think I'd use it on myself, if I had a skin problem, even though it's advertised as being for animal treatment only. Here's a photo of it:

I took a close-up of the label so you could see the ingredients. They are not the same as Bag Balm ingredients, though.

Wondering about whether zinc oxide might be dangerous, I was reassured when I read this page.

NOTE Wednesday 29 May 2013: I have subsequently had some reservations about using this without a covering bandage, because Penny might lick it off. I'm going to consult my vet next time I take Penny for a visit.