Our boxer licks her paws a lot of the time. What should we do?

Question

We are considering giving her 50 mg of benydryl .
She weighs 80 lbs.
I just bathed her paws in epsom salt and water.
We will be trying different foods.

Answer 1

Your dog is having a food allergy, These problems are diet-related and are from the inside out. The Epsom salt may give her some temporary relief, but not long-lasting.

Allergies are really a sign of immunity problems. Most of the immune system is located in the GI tract, where nutrients are absorbed (seen the DanActive commercial?). When you screw up its workings with non-nutritive dog "food" you see all kinds of problems. What I mean, are the filler ingredients you see in most commercial dog foods. These include corn products, wheat products, soy products, peanut hulls, sugar, colors, flavors, salt, beet pulp... I could go on, but I won't. You see many of these non-food ingredients in well-known, vet-recommended prescription foods. Why are those ingredients in dog food: they're cheap. CHEAP=CRAP.

My diet of preference, that rises far above any other is raw. Although domesticated for thousands of years, a dog's gut still works the same as the wolf. They have the acids, enzymes and flora that are designed to digest raw meat and bones. What they don't have are the enzymes to digest grains (wheat, corn, etc). A balanced raw diet will cure most, if not all of your dog's problems. I live in FL where we have a flea problem year round. In my house there are 7 cats and 3 dogs, non of which need treatment for fleas. They don't need any chemicals because they are so healthy, they repel fleas on their own. When I think how expensive raw diet is, I just think of how much I save on flea prevention and treatment. For info:
http://www.auntjeni.com
http://www.drpitcairn.com

If you really have trouble with raw, here are some other suggestions. It's a cut and paste from another question that I answered some time ago:

Sometimes a meat and rice recipe will work, but some of the problems that you're having will respond better to a high-quality grain-free diet. All kibble, which is cheaper than canned or raw, must have grain, potato, or tapioca in it to hold it together. Potato would be cheaper than tapioca, and potato is better than grain.

High-quality means that most of the ingredients are of HUMAN-GRADE quality. None of the recall products were human-grade. If it's not good enough for me, it's not good enough for my dogs.

The first ingredient should be a meat. It shouldn't be a meat by-product or a meal. Neither of these are human grade, nor can they be measured for there nutritional content. That's because the company cooks down a bunch of different animal parts that's different each time.

Don't get anything with wheat, corn, soy (or soybean oil), BHA, BHT, ethoxoquin, artificial flavors and colors, salt, sugars (including sucrose and fructose).

A lot of these poor-quality ingredients are cheap fillers, flavor enhancers, and preservatives. They offer a low source of nutrition, and weaken the immune system. That's what causes allergies. The only reason they're in the recipe is because they serve a purpose for the company, not to keep your dog healthy.

I suggest you read dog food labels carefully. Look at foods like Evo (made by Innova), Timberwolf Wild & Natural or Ocean Blue, Barking At The Moon (made by Solid Gold). They're more expensive, but they would seriously cut down on the allergies, which would mean less trips to the vet. I also suggest adding a cold-water fish oil, like salmon, krill, anchovy or sardine. This will help a lot with the ear problem and the yeast. You could also add probiotics and dygestive enzymes.
One product that has salmon oil, pre- and probiotcs, and digestive enzymes is Positive Health by Great Life. They also make an excellent food, but is expensive. Their website http://www.greatlife4pets.com

Answer 2

It's probably an allergy as others have said. Good for trying a new food. I also give my dog benadryl when she starts licking.

Also, if it's cold and snowy where you live and they've started salting the roads, the mix they use is very harsh on dog paws. Rinse hers well after you come back in. It's also sharp and can cause little cuts so do a paw check to make sure they're not irritated from road salt. I make my dog wear boots because she won't walk through the salt (the face! She looks like she's in such pain. She doesn't like the boots, but she likes the hurty salt even less.)

Answer 3

If the paws are red and smelly I'd say it was an allergy. Do try a different kibble with little to no grains-especially no corn,wheat or soy.
Benedryl will help with itchiness but not what causes the symptom. Check her ears for being red and itchy also. If they are,then it's almost certainly a food allergy.

Answer 4

Dog get Morgellons too. I just lost my dog to it. My husbands dog has it and I am treating her. I took her off dog food completely. I learned how to make an organic kibble, and mix it with other organic foods. Dogs should not have many onions (though she loves them), no grapes or raisens, and no mushrooms. She gets distilled water. She gets sun choke every day (an old native American cure all that really works). You can get it online or Wholefoods. She should get oil in her food every day. I use organic olive oil from Trader Joes, the least expensive and best tasting. Wash her eyes, nose and mouth especially when she's going crazy. Bathe her as often as possible. Aveeno is wonderfully soothing. You can use a very soft hair brush by running it gently over her body to dislodge the offenders.

Answer 5

Licking of the paws is a classic sign of allergies. Talk to your vet about what food alternatives are out there for you. My Border Collie is allergic to many different things and receives allergy shots every spring.

Answer 6

You have the right idea with the benydryl. My dog has allergies and he licks his paws a lot. We give him allergy medicine and it helps somewhat and the vet prescribed a special shampoo to put on his back and paws to treat it. Winter is especially a bad time for dogs and allergies.
When you take her out to go to the bathroom, I suggest getting her little booties to protect her feet.

Answer 7

Boxers groom themselves like cats usually licking their legs and paws, mine does it too, it's a breed trait... there's nothing wrong with her. No need to do anything, just let her lick her paws... they do that. Best of luck!!

ADD: This from www.dogbreedinfo.com/boxer ... to back up my statement...
The Boxer's smooth, short-haired coat is easy to groom. Brush with a firm bristle brush, and bathe only when necessary, for it removes the natural oils from the skin. Boxers are very clean and groom themselves like cats. This breed is an average shedder.

Answer 8

Aww.. I have a boxer!

First take her to the vet.........Don't give her benadryl.

benadryl just stops the itching, and it does not attack the primary source of the itching.

I will email you with dog foods to try.



But remember when switching foods, it can not be drastic, it has to be in portions.

Good for you for being a responsible dog owner.

Answer 9

My vet said excessive paw licking could be a sign of poor dental health.

But I do give my dog benadryl for constant itching - and he has a hypoallergenic dog food that you can buy from Walmart, too (he was originally prescribed a special diet, but who wants to pay that much forever? The stuff from Walmart has made him very happy.)

Answer 10

Before medicating switch her food. Look for a formula w/ NO wheat. Wheat is the #1 culprit for allergies. Also you can use a product called Linetone. They have an allergy and an anti-itch formula. It's a product that you put on their food.

If those don't work then talk to your vet about the amount of benedryl would be best for your dog. Usually adult medication is to much and they are better off w/ children's dosages.

Good Luck