How would a race of quadrupedal sophonts approach the task of keeping their paws clean in places like hospitals and kitchens?
The yinrih use remotely operated micro mechs[^1] or stationary medical robots for most procedures, meaning the healer doesn't have to worry about her[^2] paws touching the patient.
In situations where such equipment is not available, the healer has a few options. The most straightforward is to avoid moving while working on a patient, making sure that any tools are within reach. The healer may stand on a moving platform that can be driven by tail-actuated controls. In want of even this, a healer will employ an assistant to fetch tools for her. The assistant will carry tools in the tail (which is sheathed much like a hand in a glove) or rest the tools on a back-mounted tray.
Paw washing is done in shallow washing pools. Front feet, back feet, and tail are washed. The palms and soles are scraped against a coarse mat to remove dirt from under the claws and from between the paw pads.
While not related directly to their quadrupedal stance, because yinrih have fur, healers take drugs to shed their coat, becoming completely bald save for the whiskers. Baldness is a sign of the medical profession, much like a human lab coat and stethoscope.
[^1]: zoomorphic drones that can range from cell-sized to the size of a small pill. They are swallowed by, or injected into, the patient to perform internal procedures without the use of incisions. The healer pilots the micro mech using a HUD visor, paw gauntlets, and a tail sheath.
[^2]: As a rule, yinrih males may not become healers. Females may not become soldiers. "Men break, women fix" is the common saying about such matters.
Yes, very much so.