15 Top Tips to Stop or Help Your Dog With Knuckling

Your dog might have started to show signs of knuckling, most likely in their rear paws. Check out the list of suggestions below to help your dog with knuckling around the house or out on walks.

The list

1. Keep the broken skin and nails very clean! This is very important, dirt can get into the paw skin and cause an infection which can be very problematic and expensive if it needs to be treated at the vets. Wash the wound with warm water and antiseptic, cover it, or put a good dog boot on it to protect it from further injury or chance of infection.
2. Put mats around the house - Give your dog the best grip! This is important for your dog as their legs often splay out, they find it hard to get up or lie down, or they wobble and weave. Give them support on their four legs by putting matting down on slippery wooden floors or tiles.
3. Light Knuckling Aids - Protective boots. If your dog is only lightly knuckling, get a dog boot to protect the skin and nails. We recommend rubber boots as these don’t split like normal boots: https://zoomadog.co.uk/collections/dog-paw-knuckling
4. Moderate Knuckling Aids - Maximus brace. This is one of the best knuckling braces on the market worldwide. Maximus PawsUp are the best dog boots on the market to stop paw knuckling. Paw knuckling is when the paw curls and your dog does not walk on the pad. PawsUp works in a completely different way to regular boots, they work by correcting how your dog walks, meaning they will put their paws flat on the floor again. They are best for dogs with a limp, unsteady gait, wobble walk or light paw knuckling. https://zoomadog.co.uk/products/maximus-pawsup
5. Severe Knuckling Aids - A dog wheelchair. Help your dog move again! The Dog Wheelchair by Walkin Wheels is one of the best quality wheelchairs on the market. It is excellent to get your dog more active and live a joyous full life. Put the kit together following the instructions at home and your dog will be back exploring independently in no time! Read more here: https://zoomadog.co.uk/products/138-walkin-wheels-dog-wheelchair 
6. Deep Soft Orthopedic Dog Bed - Treat your dog to the ultimate joint and muscle comfort! The Memory Foam dog bed provides orthopaedic memory foam, which helps alleviate discomfort in dogs with joint or muscle issues. This is particularly beneficial for senior dogs, large dogs, active dogs and those recovering from surgery or injuries. Made from top-quality orthopaedic memory foam. Find our bed here: https://zoomadog.co.uk/products/memory-foam-dog-bed-100-x-70cm-grey
7. Dog Ramps - For dogs struggling to go up and down stairs or jump on or off the sofa, get a few ramps around the house. This will help their joints and increase your dog's mood as they can get around the house normally.
8. Toe Grips - A different way your dog can grip around the house is to use tiny plastic grips on the toes to help balance themselves. Take a look here: https://toegrips.com/what-are-toegrips/
9. Join a Facebook group - there are many great Facebook groups out there, mostly focused on breeds. Take a look, join a group and see other top tips for helping dogs
10. Good Quality Joint Supplement - Get your dog on a high-level joint supplement, this can ease the knuckle joints and reduce the pain. Supplements which include glucosamine and chondroitin support joint health and reduce arthritic symptoms. In addition, research has shown that foods that provide high levels of omega-3 fatty acids can also help decrease inflammation.
11. Anti-Inflammatory Medications - Your vet can prescribe your dog anti-inflammatories to ease the pain in your dog's knuckle joints.
12. Hydrotherapy - Find your local UK dog hydrotherapist here: https://narch.org.uk/Home/Index. Hydrotherapy can relieve pain and inflammation. More vigorous exercise is used to increase limb use, muscle bulk and tone, and strengthen joint support. Working alongside a knuckling aid, hydrotherapy can help your dog tremendously.
13. Physiotherapy - Find a local UK dog physiotherapist here: https://acpat.org/physios/. Physiotherapy can help your dog reduce pain and increase flexibility and muscle movement. 
14. Laser Therapy - Often administered by a physiotherapist or vet, laser therapy is an innovative treatment that has gained popularity recently as veterinarians discover its benefits for pets. Used similarly to acupuncture, massage therapy, and other alternative therapies, laser treatment can be used in conjunction with or in place of medication to manage pain, inflammation, and wound healing.
15. Send in a video of your dog - we are happy to look at your dog, whether a video of them walking around the house or outside. Send it to us, and we can see how we can help. Our email is: woof@zoomadog.co.uk Read more about dog knuckling here: https://zoomadog.co.uk/collections/dog-knuckling