When warm weather arrives, the days get longer, walks become more frequent, and many pets spend more time outdoors. For dogs and cats, however, summer isn’t just about play, exercise, and relaxation: heat, sun, and certain surfaces can put their most exposed and delicate areas, like their paw pads and nose, to the test.
We often focus on fur, nutrition, or hydration, but paws and noses deserve the same attention. These are body parts that are constantly in contact with the outside environment and can be affected by weather changes, high temperatures, wind, winter cold, and aggressive surfaces like asphalt, gravel, sand, or rough pavement.
Caring for your pet doesn’t require complicated steps: just observe your pet, choose the best times to go out, and incorporate a few simple precautions into your daily routine.
Why heat can stress their paws pads
During the summer, asphalt and outdoor pavements can reach very high temperatures. While walking in shoes isn’t a problem for us, direct contact with hot surfaces can be uncomfortable for dogs and, in severe cases, irritate their paw pads.
The pads of the feet have a fundamental function: they help the animal walk, run, maintain stability, and absorb some of the impact of the ground. They are resistant, but not invulnerable. Intense heat, dry surfaces, long walks, or particularly rough terrain can make them drier, harder, or cracked.
For this reason, during the warmer months, it’s best to avoid walks during the middle of the day and prefer early morning or evening, when the ground is cooler. A quick check after each outing can help determine if the paws are red, dry, or if the animal is showing signs of discomfort.
Even sand, gravel and rough surfaces can have an impact
It’s not just asphalt that requires attention. In summer, we often take our dogs to the beach, the mountains, or the countryside. Hot sand, rocky paths, dry terrain, or gravel can stress the pads, especially if the dog isn’t used to walking on those surfaces.
After a long walk or a day outdoors, gently cleaning their paws helps remove any sand, dust, dirt, or small debris that could cause discomfort. It’s a simple gesture, but it’s also very useful for checking for cracks, small irritations, or foreign bodies between the toes.
In cats, the problem is often less obvious, especially if they live indoors. However, they too can have dry or sensitive paw pads, especially if they spend time on balconies, terraces, gardens, or exposed surfaces.
The nose: a delicate area to observe
A dog’s and cat’s nose is a very exposed area. Sun, wind, dry air, and temperature changes can contribute to its drier or chapped appearance. A dry nose isn’t always a cause for concern, but it’s still an area to monitor, especially if its appearance changes, it appears severely dehydrated, or the animal tends to scratch or lick itself insistently.
As with paws, prevention here too involves small daily steps. Keeping their nose clean, avoiding prolonged exposure during the hottest hours of the day, and using specific products when necessary can help maintain skin elasticity and softness.
However, if cuts, bleeding, swelling, pain, or sudden changes appear, it is always best to seek advice from your trusted veterinarian.
A simple routine after the walk
Grooming your dog’s paws and nose can become a pleasant habit, especially after summer outings. Upon returning home, you can check the pads, gently clean the paws, and check for any residue or signs of dryness. The same goes for the nose, which can be inspected and gently cleaned if necessary.
In this routine it can be useful to include the hydrating paw and nose balm for dogs and cats Paw&Nose Care, designed to soften, hydrate and nourish paw pad and nose, helping to keep the skin elastic and protected from external agents.
The paw and nose kit, with balm and a microfiber cloth, allows you to apply the product directly to clean skin with your fingers or the provided cloth. No rinsing is required: any excess can be gently removed with the cloth.
The important thing is to keep the gesture simple and respectful of the animal. It’s best to proceed slowly, gradually accustoming the animal, rewarding it, and transforming the treatment into a moment of positive contact.
Not just summer: cold, wind and temperature changes
While summer heat is the primary factor to consider, paws and noses can be affected by external factors year-round. In winter, cold, wind, humidity, and contact with icy surfaces can promote dryness and cracking. During rainy periods, however, mud and humidity make it important to dry paws thoroughly after a walk.
For this reason, caring for paw pads and nose shouldn’t be seen as a seasonal treat, but as part of the daily well-being of dogs and cats. Each season has its own small challenges, and a consistent routine helps prevent them.
Signs not to be underestimated
An animal can show discomfort in different ways. It may lick its paws frequently, walk cautiously, avoid certain surfaces, or show sensitivity when touched. Sometimes the pads of its feet appear rough, dry, or slightly cracked; other times the nose may seem drier than usual.
These signs don’t necessarily indicate a serious problem, but they’re a prompt to observe more closely and intervene gently. Daily care serves precisely this purpose: to notice small changes early and help the animal feel better.
Of course, if the discomfort persists or if there are obvious lesions, it is important to contact the vet, avoiding improvised solutions.
Small gestures that make a difference
Protecting paws and noses means paying attention to the environment in which your dog or cat lives and moves. In summer, choosing cooler times for walks, avoiding hot surfaces, and checking their paws when returning home can make a big difference. During the rest of the year, drying thoroughly after rain and cold weather and keeping their skin soft helps reduce dryness and chapping.
These are simple gestures, but they say a lot about how we care for our pets. Because well-being comes not only from generous attention, but also from those small daily habits that make every walk, every game, and every moment spent together more peaceful.
