Dog with sore feet. Tried everything without success. Any ideas on a diagnosis?

Question

My dog has been licking/biting his feet on and off for a year. We've had him to the vets, and had him on steroid tablets as a result. These helped slightly, but now have no effect. We've tried keeping his feet clean, walking him on different surfaces and not walking him - can't seem to make any progress. Any ideas on a diagnosis and cure?

Answer 1

I have to agree with the people that suggested it might be boredom...that's a definite possibility. Though I might add it could be a nervous condition. I have a cat that licks/gnaws at his feet obsessively...especially if we are petting him. Sometimes vets will try doggy valium or an antidepressent designed for dogs (I think clonicalm is one of them) to see if that helps. But if that is the problem, then it can be a difficult one to fix.

But you said steroids worked for a while, so that suggests there could be an actual physical problem...or it means he can't stop gnawing at them because he's made them sore (which is a common problem with dogs - which is why they designed e-collars lol).

So here is my suggestion to try to eliminate one possible problem. I think you should get an e-collar big enough to keep him away from his paws...or booties, if you can get him to keep them on. See if you can get a gentocin topical spray from your vet to help with the soreness and healing. I would try this out for a week or two so that his feet have time to heal. Now this may help...or it may only help one part of the problem (the licking as a result of the soreness). If he has skin allergies, then he is going to start licking his feet again regardless. If that is the case, you might consider retrying the steroids (at a stronger dosage and slowly bring down to a maintainance level) or try benadryl. I don't know if your doctor had you try benadryl, but I had a friend with a Sharpei that was obsessed with her feet. Benadryl did the trick.

Regardless, you need to eliminate one problem in order to focus on the other. His feet need to heal up so that you know he isn't licking them because they are sore. I'm thinking this could be like a hotspot. Starts as a bad itch and after licking it so much, it doesn't itch so much, but now it's sore...so another reason to focus on it. Gentocin spray is a common treatment of hotspots, along with steroids and benadryl.

Food allergies are a definite consideration and worth looking into as well. The stuff you can get at a grocery store generally isn't good for dogs and I have seen dogs that are allergic to certain grains in food.

Anyway, there are so many possible causes and I have already written so much. Keep working on it! I hope you figure it out! I know how frustrating this can be (I have a dog with skin allergies).

Answer 2

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RE:
Dog with sore feet. Tried everything without success. Any ideas on a diagnosis?
My dog has been licking/biting his feet on and off for a year. We've had him to the vets, and had him on steroid tablets as a result. These helped slightly, but now have no effect. We've tried keeping his feet clean, walking him on different surfaces and not walking him - can't seem to...

Answer 3

You need to take him back to the vets and push on with a diagnosis. Before you do anything, make sure you are using a proper flea treatment on a regular basis (not pet shop stuff).

After that you need to rule out infection and parasites, including mange mites and nail bed infections. This might mean in-house or laboratory tests by your vet, skin scrapings and swabs.
If that comes back all clear it is worth testing for allergies as it is very common for dogs to get itchy feet and itchy skin/ears in general in response to something they are allergic to. This might be food or something in the environment.
It may even be something more complicated like one of the immune mediated diseases which attack places like nail beds and around the pads (immune mediated is where the dogs own immune system attacks parts of its own body).

It can also be behavioural but this would be a diagnosis of exclusion, in other words, everything else would have to be ruled out first.

Steroids are an anti-inflammatory that help take away the itch in itchy dogs but if the underlying cause isn't sorted out it will never cure completely.

Unfortunately skin problems are not always simple to get to get to the bottom of and you will have to allow the vet to rule things out step by step. If the vet tries one thing and it doesn't work you must take the dog back and try the next thing.

The cure will depend on the diagnosis

Answer 4

Feel licking/biting is the textbook #1 symptom of inhalent allergies. Steroid will help allergies...but only good as a relief, not a cure. You might consider allergy testing him... even with a dermatologist for pets. If allergies are discovered, they'll make a vial if antigen that you'll learn to give him shots at home to essentially vaccinate him against what he's allergic to. There is a 25% chance the dog won't respond to the de-sensitizing, but a 75% chance that you can help or cure your dog's symptoms. If this doesn't work, it might be back to the steroids...or move to another state with less of what he's allergic to.

Answer 5

Warm a pan of water. Not extremely hot, though pretty hot. Place each dog's feet into the pan--maybe a foot in at a time. After about 3 minutes for each foot, you can go to the next stage. Dry its feet off, and take regular adult-sized socks. Depending on the size of the dog, you may have to wrap the sock around the ankle. Use a loose, but tight enough, rubber band to hold it. After a couple days, it should work.

P.S. You must make sure his/her feet are COMPLETELY dry, or else your dog may get a disease, sickness or fungi.

Answer 6

dog sore feet success ideas diagnosis

Answer 7

I have also seen where feet chewing is result of a food allergy. What is he eating? Try to find a better high quality dog food. (Hint - it probably won't be in your vet store or grocery store) It should have primarily meat as the main ingredient, not a by product, not meat "meal" or any of that other stuff. And - no or very few preservatives....another hint - if you can't pronounce it - it's usually not very good for them.
Or - he could be allergic to poultry and needs only beef, or allergic to beef and needs a Duck or Lamb diet.

Answer 8

It can also be neurotic behavior. I have a dog who has always had problems with anxiety. When he was extremely anxious, he would lick himself for hours, often causing sores. There is anxiety medication to counteract that. Although licking/biting at the feet is usually a sign of allergies in dogs. grass allergies will cause it, but usually steroids help with allergies. Good luck!

Answer 9

here is a good site... It is on another dog chewing his feet as well.. ok here was it's answer...
It could be something that the vet can "cure," or, it could be some nerve damage on the bottom of his feet from so many years that makes his feet "tingle," or, it could just be a learned behaviour while sitting in a crate and being bored or stressed.

Found another site that may help...

Answer 10

A dog should be trained on how to eat, walk with you, not to bark, potty training and sleep on its place etc. You can teach anything to your puppy, dogs get trained easily with some good instructions. If you want some good training tips visit https://tinyurl.im/ZrZbh

If properly trained, they should also understand whistle and gesture equivalents for all the relevant commands, e.g. short whistle or finger raised sit, long whistle or flat hand lay down, and so on.

It's important that they also get gestures and whistles as voice may not be sufficient over long distances and under certain circumstances.