Does anyone have a dog that licks his paws til they are raw in several spots? What can we do to stop him?

Question

We have taken him to the vet twice for it. They have advised to keep him on Benedryl and gave him steroids which cleared it up. The benedryl is beginning to not work any longer and once the steroids were gone, he began licking again. I know you can't keep a dog on steroids for the rest of his life. The dog collar is not an option. He is an inside dog with a dog door to get in & out during the day since we both work, and I can't keep him outside during the day (the temp today was 106).

Answer 1

I have a dog that was severely allergic for a long time, and we never knew what was wrong with him. He woudl scratch his ears until they bled, and he frequently had bad ear infections. Eventually, after many trips to the vet, and a huge vet bill, we found out he had a serious allergy.

You can put creams, put them on medication to remove the allergic reaction, but it doesn't prevent the problem from occurring. Rather it is a cure or remedy. It sounds like your dog has a major allergy. We put our dog on special feed for dogs wtih allergies, and within a few days his allergies cleared up. Of course, he still had some creams and medicine to take for the ears to clear up, but we have nto had any problems since.

I would suggest with the vet testing for allergens, or suggest eating special food for dogs with allergies. The downside is no more scraps or other bits to eat, they can only eat their own food to prvent teh allergy coming back. I woudl also suggest Vitamin E, which you can buy in pharmacy's. It's basically a capsule, helps all kinds of skin to heal, and you just cut the capsule, and spread a generous amount on the paws. Perhaps when you're at home, your dog can be kept indoors, and with a cone on. The other option, is to bandage their four paws securely to prevent them licking. The dog really has to stop licking the paws, have medication/ cream/ vit E administered and allow the paws to heal up (plus new feed) in order for him to stop it. Once the irritation has subsided, he will probably stop licking.

Anyways, really try the dog feed option. It might work.

Answer 2

One of the many causes of dogs licking their paws could be an allergy. Before home medicating with anything like Benedryl, I would check with a vet. Sometimes if a dog licks a spot too much they can develop something called a lick granuloma, which could become serious.

If you aren't able to go to a vet there are a few things you can try at home. You can use something like Bitter Apple spray to try and keep your dog from licking its paws. I've even heard of people putting a small amount of pepper on a spot to keep their dog away from it.

If it's an allergy, changing the food and treats may help. Generally dogs are allergic to the main protein in a food. If you're feeding a beef based food try switching to a poultry or fish based food.

You can put your dog into an Elizabethan Collar (a "satellite dish") but that is only a temporary fix.

Beyond that you should probably seek treatment with a Veterinarian.

Hope this helped!

Answer 3

is your dog an inside animal? If it's outside, it could be a boredom issue. If it's inside, it's probably allergies. Licking paws is a common sign of allergy. Bring it to the vet, get a shot, problem solved. course, if it's got allergies you'll have to do this for the rest of it's life. (BTW, Benadryl is not a good solution. Steroids, while not great for the organs, are a much better allergy alleviation for dogs) Source: Owning three dogs with allergies, all have lived until 10 years, at least. The 10 year old is still alive, the others lived to be 12 and 14 years respectively.

Answer 4

Thats a tell tale sign of allergies. I would try to figure out if its a food allergy or outdoor allergy. If it's outdoor he might also have red gunky eyes, if its food sometimes there is redness in the armpits and between the hind legs. If its just the paws figure out if it has been year round or seasonal. Benidryl will help relieve the itching but if its outdoor you may ask your vet about seasonal shots or meds. If its food I would try switching to something like fish or duck w/ potatoe, most brands that make these formulas use higher end proteins and fillers so you'll be less likely to feed any of the most common food allergy ingrediants such as corn meal. good luck!

Answer 5

Licking the feet is one sign potentially of a food allergy, especially if his ears are red and itchy as well, and often the armpit areas. Simply switching foods is not good enough. They need a hypoallergenic diet, something with a new protein and carb source. Ask your vet if this is worth a try. It can take up to 8 weeks to see if it works. In the meantime they can have NOTHING else to eat but the new food. He is licking the feet because they itch so bad. Putting booties or an E collar on him is like tying your hands and tickling you--it would drive you crazy! Better to try to alleviate the symptoms with medication and find the source of the allergy.

Answer 6

profuse licking can be allergies, or a sign of mental frustration, depression.
have the vet check him physically, and if there is nothing wrong, it may be something mental/psychological.
try exercise. walking for an hour daily cost nothing but time, and you'll notice improvement within a few days, if he is still licking about the same, less or more. but have the vet check him out first, to see if he's healthy enough, too.

he may be in need of socialization. after walking, to work off aggression, take him to the park for a little social activity. join an agility club, speed ball, or just make friends at the park for play time.

hope this helps!

Answer 7

When dogs lick their paws, that's a tell tale sign of allergies. Antihistamines are safe for dogs, but I forget the dosage per pound. If it's so bad the dog is biting itself raw, I'd take it in to the vet. You don't want your dog getting a skin infection.

Answer 8

Chances are it is an allergery. Benadryl helps. Check out the dosage in terms of weight on the web. It could be allergies to grass or wheat (in dog food). Vet visit would be recommended

Answer 9

It could be nothing wrong and you could put something not nice tasting (obviously nothing tht will harm him) on his paws tht might stop him. But there could be something wrong like an irritation or something and should be looked at by a vet so it can be treated.

Answer 10

Your dog has an allergy.... probably to grass he is walking on, or the weeds in his environment.. Wash his feet often, and keep him off the grass... It's common. You can't stop him, and you can't keep him on pred and cortisone forever. Remove the offending plant(s) from his environment... I as well have a dog highly allergic to grass. His area is now sand. He used to rub his paws, and his nose until they bled. His tummy was red , and he was miserable... hope this helps