Why is my dog licking his paws, hair thinning, should I worry?

Hello. This may be an indication that Rusty has allergies. Sometimes all the symptoms you see are licking the paws. He may also have some nail bed disease, or he just may be a fastidious groomer. If he is not causing any sores on his feet, or loss of hair, or you are not particularly bothered by the behavior ( he does not keep you up at night licking his feet ), then a couple of minutes of grooming the feet just may be his own particular trait. If it does become excessive, see your vet who will determine if any treatment is necessary. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Poor guy. These are classic signs of allergic dermatitis: licking/chewing at the feet and redness/irritation of the paws and lower limbs. Sherlock likely has an lallergy to something in the environment or certain ingredients in his food. Often-times it is a process to determine what the underlying cause is, but here is some information on how to get started. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952662 https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952600 While determining the cause of your pets allergies, it is best to get him on allergy medication to help control his symptoms (licking of the feet). The two most commonly used treatments for dog allergies are Apoquel or Cytopoint. Ask your vet about them to gain more information and develop a regimen that works best for Sherlock. In addition, you should look into a medicated shampoo for topical relief. Duoxo calm shampoo is available online and works really well. I hope that Shelock is able to manage his allergies well soon! Best wishes and take care.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At least in the picture, there is no evidence of a mass or anything like that particularly concerning. This could potentially be allergies causing him to lick at his paws. The main causes of allergies are fleas, ingredients in the food or something in the environment. If he continues to do this, it would be ideal to have him evaluated by your veterinarian to start to work him up for allergies and to potentially start him on medications to decrease the itch and potentially treat a secondary infection if found on exam. Good luck and have a great night!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

You could bathe her with DOUXO® Calm shampoo and see if that helps. Also, limit the time she is outside and keep your windows closed. You could also use an omega 3 supplement, Free Form Snip Tips or Wellactin. Otherwise, you would need to talk to your vet about using an anti-histamine, corticosteroid, or a newer allergy medications (Apoquel or Cytopoint).

Poor Moose. He could be licking that area if that wound is still bothering him. If he is licking all of his paws, it could be due to allergies. You could try 50mg (2 tablets) of benadryl twice a day to see if that helps with the licking in case this is secondary to allergies. If the areas are getting raw, I would place a cone collar on him to prevent the licking and contact your vet for an exam.