It is a common and sometimes painful issue when your pets’ footpads get raw or cracked. This can happen if your pet walks through the ice, snow, salt, rough rock, etc. There are so many ways your pet can injure their feet or even their nose. Today we are sharing a quick, easy, recipe for a DIY Pet footpad and nose balm/ointment.

We must admit that when our beloved pets, any of them, have an issue we rush to their aid. It may seem like a small thing but cracked, raw or swollen foot pads can cause a good deal of discomfort to your pet. Think of it as when you get a cracked heel or split between your toes.

A dry, cracked nose is no party either. Pets use their nose to inspect everything. Often putting their nose in places it should not be can cause issues. A dry, cracked nose on a pet is the same dry, chapped lips for a person. Everyone has had that before and knows how bad that can be.

Pets, just like people can benefit from DIY ointments/balms. This recipe is fairly easy to make. It only takes a few minutes to melt and stir the ingredients. And as with many of the recipes we share, we have most if not all of the ingredients on hand already. If you have read our other talks, you know, we do a lot of DIY projects. We have many ingredients on hand for all the projects that we do. As in food cooking, many ingredients are used for different recipes.

To be clear, we say, ointment/balm because you can make it whichever you want. Really the only difference in ointment and balm is how solid it is when completely cooled. An ointment has more of toothpaste consistency. The balm has more of a chapstick consistency. Depending on which form you want when you are done, you either add or subtract a bit of bees wax.

To make your DIY Pet footpad and nose balm/ointment

You will need:

a small to medium pot for stovetop use. You can use a double boiler but it is not necessary.

2 tablespoons of beeswax

4 tablespoons of Olive Oil

4 tablespoons of Coconut Oil

2 tablespoons of Shea Butter

1 teaspoon of Vitamin E Oil

This is a project you can get the kids involved in. The kids can help measure, pour and mix. These are skills kids need to learn early to make things easier later down the road. We have been surprised how many kids these days do not have basic, hands-on skills like this.

Of course, when you get to the hot stovetop and pouring the hot liquids, be sure to watch the kids. It is always best to have an adult do those parts. No one wants a fun, family project to end in burns or a hospital trip.

First step:

Put your pot on the stovetop and turn it to low or medium. We have numbers on our old stove not low or medium. We use 4 to get the right heat to melt the wax and oils. Be sure not to let it get too hot, wax can catch on fire.

It seems to be easier to warm the wax first. Put the shredded or chipped wax into the pot and heat. Stir to help it heat up faster.

Add the olive oil to the warming wax. Continue to gently stir as you add ingredients.

Add the coconut oil to the warming mix.

Next, add the Shea Butter to the pot.

Last, add the Vitamin E oil to the pot.

Stir constantly but gently. Heat on low and stir until all the ingredients are completely melted and well mixed.

All of these are soft oil so they melt quickly. The beeswax takes the longest to melt, hence starting with it first. The melting process should only take a few minutes.

Take the pan off the heat and set it aside to cool a bit. Take care when handling hot liquids. The liquid will go from yellow clear to cloudy as it cools.

It may seem odd but we like to warm the glass jar before transferring hot liquid into it. Either hold the jar over the warm eye or place it near so the glass can warm up a bit. Do not put the glass directly onto the stovetop eye. Do not burn yourself on the stove eye or the pot.

When the liquid is cool enough to handle but not set, transfer your ointment to the jars. Again, be very careful everything is hot and will burn you.

Let your jars sit to finish cooling. The ointment will be thick but not solid when it is completely cooled. It will have changed to a cloudy solid color.

As always be sure to correctly label your foot balm. We do not want there to be any mix-ups with similar DIY projects.

To use your new DIY homemade balm:

It does not matter if your pet has raw footpads or dry nose, this mix will give them relief.

Be sure to clean your pet’s feet or nose to get any loose debris off. If your pet has been in the mud, you may want to wash your pet’s feet first. Be sure to get your pet’s feet dry before applying the balm.

You can use a dispensing tool with your ointment/balm if you want but your finger will do just fine. Rub a thin coat onto your pet’s footpads or nose.

You do not have to use a large amount. This balm will heat up while you rub it into your pets feet and will spread out on its own. If the area is very dry, start with a small amount and add more if needed.

Be sure to rub the balm in good so the oils can absorb into the pads or nose. It is best to keep the pet occupied for a bit to let the ointment dry before letting it go or your pet will have “stuff” stuck to its feet and nose.

This balm can be used weekly or daily to stop or control problems. As this is an all-natural, eco-friendly recipe, you do not have to worry about chemicals or long-term use issues.

If you live in an area where there is snow, ice, or severe cold, apply this balm before going out. A nice coating of this balm will seal the pads and nose and help keep them from damage. As our As is said, it is better to prevent an illness than treat one.

On a side note: this is almost the exact same recipe to make people skin balm and lip balm. So if in a pinch for lip balm for the kids before they go out in the cold, this balm will do just fine. It is just as kid-friendly as it is pet-friendly. Thought this recipe probably does not taste as good as the lip balm recipes.

Making your own pet nose and footpad blam may not be life-changing for you. It may not save you hundreds of dollars but you never know. The important thing to remember is, as we keep saying, everything you can do or make for yourself gets you one step closer to being self-sufficient.

We hope you have enjoyed this talk on How to make your own DIY pet nose and footpad ointment/balm. Try it for yourself and see how easy it is to make. Your pets will thank you for your consideration and love.

Well, ok your dogs will thank you. Your cats will not. The old saying “it is for your own good” does not seem to work with cats.

Thank you for visiting and please come again for another edition of Out Standing in the Field.