I have a 2 year old wired hair fox terrier. However she will not stop licking her paws to the point her fur is getting shorter and shorter or coming off her foot. I have not changed her diet at all. I brush her often and have not seen anything in the yard or the house that is new to her. Do you know whats causing this? She does get dry skin however I have a certin shampoo for that and isnt in need of a bath and it also has not caused any problems for her in any way. Whats goin on and what can I do, its getting pretty bad and she will do it for long periods of time if I dont catch her...
2007-01-25 08:59:04 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
Some dogs do this out of boredom - as a comfort sort of behavior. Once they start licking the paw, it becomes irritated, so they lick it more, more irritation, more licking.....You get the picture.
I have a Collie who has this habit on occassion. She is 5 yrs old now and just decides to "lick a paw" once every year or so.
The best thing you can do is stop the licking cycle. The easiest way to do this is to buy an elizabethan collar - they look like this: http://www.petplace.com/dogs/elizabethan-collars-for-dogs-e-collars/page1.aspx
You can get one at Petsmart - really cheap. Put it on your dog whenever she is alone 'til her foot heals. Keep her foot clean & dry. You can put some triple antibiotic cream on her foot if it looks raw at all - you can buy it at Walmart. It's made for people - but it's the same thing you would get at the vet - but costs $3 instead of $75!
Once her foot is better - usually about 4 - 5 days - you can then stop putting the collar on her - 'til next time around.
Some people will suggst you put her on drugs to make her stop licking - they're just like the drugs they give mentally ill humans. It's not necessary. And it's also not allergies to her food or environment. It's just something some dogs do to comfort & entertain themselves.
Don't worry - she'll be fine!
2007-01-25 09:16:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
just some ideas-
don't know where you live or how long this has gone on but if you have snow or ice she may need to have the hair between the foot pads trimmed so they don't collect stones,ice,de icer etc.
is she bored? a couple of little walks a day may not be doing it for her ...she may need to RUN and sniff and do dog things. some dogs do better with jobs...really...we had one that carried a doggie Pak when we hiked.
is this a habit that was created out of boredom? is this dog home alone all day? new toys, dog walker, doggy daycare a few days a week or hiding little treats around the house to give her something to do may be in order. the longer she has been doing the licking the more likely it is to become a habit and to develop a lick stain(rust colored) on the fur.
you should have her examined. take her in for a yearly and mention this problem. good luck
2007-01-25 17:12:04 · answer #2 · answered by mups mom 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My cousin's dog has been doing that lately... she took the dog to the vet and they said that it wasn't an allergy but something she has started to do... you can either buy a neck brace to stop her from doing it, get her a companion, or spray her paw with stuff that dogs hate like "bitter apple." You should probably take it to the vet to make sure it isn't an allergy and if it's not then you can do what they tell you or what's above. Good luck!
2007-01-25 17:10:13 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Our dog does the same thing, The vet put her on medication to stop it, It was for allergies but it made her very weird and drowsy it wasnt worth it. The vet told us each bread is different and its ok that they do it. But yours seems like a more serious condition .. i know our dogs paws get alittle raw but the vet seems ok with it. Take her to the vet to see what they can put her on.. Good luck! take care of it though asap!
2007-01-25 17:52:27 · answer #4 · answered by Erin 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take her to the vet, she may have allergies, maybe get her an elizabethian collar until then
2007-01-25 17:06:08 · answer #5 · answered by bzzflygirl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My dog licks her paws all the time!!! But its bcuz her feet hurt her when she walks.
2007-01-25 17:07:26 · answer #6 · answered by singing_for_our_lord 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Could be food allergies or environmental allergies. What do you feed the dog?
2007-01-25 17:08:05 · answer #7 · answered by jkc92618 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take her to the vet, and beware of lick granuloma.
http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/lick.html
Hope it doesn't get this bad!!
2007-01-25 17:06:19 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
take her to a vet and see if she has a skin condition that may need medication
2007-01-25 17:05:13 · answer #9 · answered by kat_luvr2003 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
WELL I THINK YOU ASKED THIS QUESTION LIKE A FEW DAYS AGO, MY BEST ADVICE TO YOU IS "TAKE YOUR DOG TO THE VET"!!!! THAT POOR LIL DOGGY!!:(
2007-01-25 17:05:14 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋