Continully licking his paws

[reincarnatedcat]

I have two dogs and the one (bentely, aka: booboo) seems to be licking his paws alot. the other day i checked them out and his paws were a deep red and looked very aggitated. i know that i have to keep him from licking them some more but he doesn't listen to me. whenever i say no, he looks at me and starts to lick them some more. how can i stop him from licking them all the time.. and actually make him listen to me?

[Jade]

He may have a skin infection or allergy going on. You should probably go ahead and wipe the paws off with some mild soap/water and give your vet a call to ask about doing a skin scrape or getting him checked out for an infection.

[Deja]

Hi I understand that watching your dog lick his irritated paws is very frustrating. It's not as simple as the dog "listenting" to you when you tell him not to lick them. Think of it this way - it would be like someone telling you not to scratch a really bad itch - or someone telling you not to cough when you have a cold! It's just not something you can control and if there is something making the dog's paws itch I am sure it's something he can't control either.

Have you considered taking the dog to the vet to find out what is wrong? He could have a fungal or bacterial infection, or he could have been bitten by something or he could be having an allergic reaction to something he came in contact with. There are any number of reasons why your dog is licking his paws, especially since you noticed and stated that the paws were a deep red color and looked as you put it, "aggitated".

I would take him to the vet as soon as you can get an appointment. If there is irritation to the point of open wounds or raw skin there is going to be grounds for an opertunistic bacterial infection to grow, and you really want to get that taken care of before it spreads or becomes serious.

Dogs can be taught many, many things and they understand what we expect from them. There are limits to what we can expect from them though. If your dog is uncomfortable and licking his paws to ease his discomfort or pain take it as a sign that he needs help, not to learn to listen to you when you tell him not to lick his paws. Did that make sense?

If the vet determines a cause for the redness, irritation and subsequent licking I'm sure he will prescribe medication to ease the discomfort, pain and itching.

If you discover there is no underlying cause and the licking has become habitual there are ways to replace the licking behavior with something acceptable, such as creating a pleasant distraction by offering something fun to play with or a safe chew bone.

Please keep us posted and let us know what you find out is wrong with his paws. I'm sorry he's so uncomfortable. Good Luck!

[Chrisanne]

I agree, please get him to a vet to get it checked out. Please keep us posted, we'll be thinking of you both

[Chinchilla_Girl]

Sounds like an allergy to me...One of my father's Golden Retrievers has been doing the same thing for years. There really isn't a way to stop him..(parents tried Fooey and it just made him make a wierd face, sneeze a few times and continued licking) He also seems to do it more when he's stressed. I would suggest taking him into the vet for a full examination and get those paws checked for infections and such that may be causing his determination to lick the pads off his feet, and to rule out any allergies. Good luck!

[reincarnatedcat]

well, he seems to have stopped licking his paws continully but he still does it. every time i see him licking his paws, i say "aww, poor booboo babys" and he stops licking them, walks over to me and starts to lick my face. i'm wondering if that walk in the desert aggitated his paws and he started a habit of licking them and now has trouble stopping. well, we'll see. were gonna take him to the vet soon.

[cris/c]

I have a Schitzu with the same problem. Unfortunately, after numerous visits to the vet,we have discovered that the licking and chewing is Berty's way of combating itching caused by a fungal infection. Berty loves to walk, but one of his paws in particular has become very sore and inflamed, therefore curtailing the long walks he so loves. I live on the south coast of England, right beside the sea. We have had to stop walks on the beach, and poor Berty is restricted to road walks at the moment, to ensure that the paws stay as dry as possible, an impossible mission when walking on the beach or foreshore.

So far, Berty has had steroid tablets, a change of diet (this we are still struggling with it involves eating dried food, not Berty's favourite) and at least 4 courses of antibiotics and 'Malaceb' antibac, antifungal shampoo, twice a week left on for 10 minutes. This is not easy to carry out with a wriggling Schitzu who really has no desire to stand in the bath. The vet warned me that while these infections normally clear up, eventually, they are notoriously difficult to eradicate in the short term. It is important to keep the paws as dry as possible, (no more laying out on the lawn, too wet) I've tried baby socks tied onto his feet, collars to stop him licking and various ointments all to no avail. Just as it looks to be improving, back it comes again, the licking is the indication that all is not well. Berty is clipped short, but the hair on his feet will keep growing making examination of his feet more difficult than it has to be. This is coupled with the fact that he hates his feet touched anyway, tickelish? who knows if only he could talk.

Interestingly, as Berty thinks he is a retriever, and should be walking out and about every waking moment, I have noticed that on occasion when he has been left to his own devices for too long, then the chewing and licking is more pronounced. Perhaps there is a link with boredom, or even stress. If you can stop a dog chewing, I only have to say 'stop licking' to Berty and he dutifully obeys. However, you can't watch them every waking moment, so steps must be taken to ensure that the biting ceases as this does make matters a whole lot worse. The vet or I should say vets all agree that it becomes almost an obsession, rather like a mosquito bite, if you can resist the initial urge to scratch, then sometimes you think no more of the bite. The minute you start to itch, it justs get worse.

I really am getting a little despondant, on Berty's behalf. If only it would clear up long enough so that he can go out and really enjoy his walks again. He tries to pull me down towards the beach every morning, and I have to walk in the opposite direction, poor Berty. Anyway we have just finished another course of steroids and antibiotic, still looks sore to me. Both Berty and I would be eternally grateful if someone out there has any advice, I would try anything once. I look forward to some replies maybe.[quote]

[glynisrossmunro]

Hi - I was really interested to read about those of you struggling with paws-licked-raw because of fungal infections.

My old bull terrier, Frodo, aged 14, has always tended to be a paw-licker, but he has a really bad problem now with a fungal infection.

The vet prescribed a shampoo (leave on for 10 minutes every 2nd day) and tablets, but I see that it is important to keep their paws dry. Frods loves walking in the gutter when people are irrigating their gardens - like a kid who likes to splash in puddles. Is it enough to dry the paws or should one get baby powder, hair dryers etc into the act?

Any ideas on the "10 minutes"? I put plastic bags on his feet and tie them on, but is this stuff bad for the dogs, or could it be a bit more effective if one left it on 20 minutes?

Is there any herbal or other treatment? I tried tea tree oil, but it said "poison" on the bottle, and he seemed weak and off-colour the day after I used it - his pads seemed to soak up an amazing amount of the stuff, like blotting paper, and I worried that somehow it got into his system?

Some internet sites say that a key factor is owner commitment and care, as these fungal paw infections are a devil to get rid of.. has anyone actually won this war?

Good luck guys!

: ) Glynis

[Deja]

Quote: Originally Posted by glynisrossmunro ... Any ideas on the "10 minutes"? I put plastic bags on his feet and tie them on, but is this stuff bad for the dogs, or could it be a bit more effective if one left it on 20 minutes? Some internet sites say that a key factor is owner commitment and care, as these fungal paw infections are a devil to get rid of.. has anyone actually won this war?

Hi!

I'm sorry you have to go through this with your dog. Fungal infections can be persistant and hard to get rid of.

As far as the question you asked regarding the amount of time the shampoo is left on the dog - the first thing that comes to my mind is - What is the active ingredient? If it's something that is absorbed into the dog's system through the skin and is left on longer than prescribed you could be in for systemic side-effects. If it's only active for 10 minutes, leaving it on longer would have no further action and not help - just waste your time.

With any fungal infection consistant, persistant and often long term treatment is the only way to totally get rid of it.

I think it's cute that your dog likes to walk and play in puddles With a fungal infection, constant moisture can give the fungus the proper breeding ground and it keeps growing.

Have you tried anti-fungal foot powder in conjunction with the fungus treatment your Vet suggested or prescribed? (any human brand will do, I've used Dr. Scholl's) It's great to put on after you dry their feet. It will absorb excess wetness and help keep the paws dry while you are trying to get rid of the fungus.

Good Luck - keep us posted

[glynisrossmunro]

Thanks for the reply

The active ingredient in the shampoo is chlorhexidine gluconate, which does not see to be too dangerous - it seems to be a mouthwash! But I take your point - the work is done after the allocated time.

He definitely had a bad reaction to the tea-tree oil though.... so it's clearly not a good idea to mess with vets' instructions unless you know everything!

I will get some foot powder and restrict his puddle splashing If he gets his paws wet, it will have to be the hair dryer! (he does not mind as he is very trusting... I think he is used to being looked after carefully and assumes that anything we do to him is some kind of service!

It's quite funny how really old dogs still like to play. Frods is 14 and deaf and pretty blind, but since we brought him the Florida in the USA from South Africa 4 years ago, he seems determined to set some kind of longevity record. He not only likes puddle splashing, but he gets "the sillies" and races around the house like a puppy. He also loves dressing up (his cataracts make him looks spooky in photos - see attachment) and poses for photographs at any opportunity.

glynis

[Deja]

He's adorable!! He certainly doesn't look his age!

[Formula86]

how cute is that?! very adorable! i think my cat back home needs her clothes back, though. haha!

[glynisrossmunro]

Your cat has a devil suit?

*lol*

I never knew that Frods liked to dress up until we moved to the USA - although he did used to behave rather strangely and aggressively if we put a scarf on his sister...

Once we came to live here and encountered the idea of dressing up one's pet, we bought him his first halloween outfit as a joke, and were amazed that he was so happy about it. He loves a new collar or a bandana etc. He dances around when in costume or skids to a halt in front of any camera and poses! I would not have thought that he would have understood the concept, but he seems to!

What does your cat do if you dress him/her up?

glynis

[Formula86]

oh no, i don't dress the cat up! haha. i said that cause she IS a devil incarnate! she's super mean!

haha! i think she would have me for lunch if i ever tried to dress her up in anything!

[glynisrossmunro]

Well dogs have owners, and cats have staff... or slaves.

I'm on your cat's side. At least she keeps you in your place

My younger son (age 20) and his g/f have 2 cats and they are definitely their slaves.

As the "grandparents", my husband and I go around with take-out dinner sometimes (like tonight) and spend the evening crawling on the floor waving toys for them to chase. If we are very very good, they allow us to hold them. If we are extra good, they purr.

One funny thing ... the 'young couple' hardly ever switch on their TV. They are either studying, visiting us (the food is good and they get to see the dog, whom my son adores) or they are home watching/playing with the cats. The cats are much more entertaining to them that anything on TV!

The cats have their own bathroom (when we bought the condo we thought it would be nice for the kids to have their own?? yeah right!) and there are things like a large "kitty condo" and motion-sensor based cat toys in case the cats are bored when left alone. They're students, but they'd rather spend their limited disposable income on the cats than on anything else.

So you're not alone living in fear of your feline's evil whims. "To live under the cat's foot" traditionally means to be henpecked or to be dominated by your woman... but the origins clearly lie in the deeper, older truth from which the saying is derived

glynis