Q & A with MAH:  Incessant Paw Licking, What Does it Mean?

                            

Q:  Why does my Dog keep licking its' paws?? is he bored? in pain?  I've tried everything to get him to stop!

A:  Chances are that nonstop (front paw) licking is almost definitely a sign of a skin allergy.  There is not a day that goes by in the Animal Hospital that I don't hear those words being uttered to one of our clients. If a dog comes into the office with extensive hair loss, or small red sores on the skin, then those can be obvious signs. But more often than not,  skin allergies in pets can be quite elusive.  If the dog is just licking their feet, and no other symptoms are overt, the subtle signs of a skin allergy can be ignored.

Q: Is paw licking the only sign?


A:  It can be, but it is quite unusual. Most often there is also biting, chewing,  and face rubbing.  You will see  redness and chafing inter-digitally.  With time, the dogs whole body can become itchy, and other issues, such as hair loss, musty odor and ear infections are present.


 

Q:  What could my dog be allergic to?

A: A big issue that appears to be on the rise at the Animal Hospital are food allergies.  Quite often there will be gastrointestinal signs such as diarrhea, vomiting, or colic with a concurrent dermatitis. Dogs are usually allergic to the main protein source in the food, such as chicken.  Food allergies are rarely seen with paw licking alone.



Also quite common are inhaled allergens (Atopy). The same ones that humans inhale such as grass pollen, mold spores, weed and tree pollen.  Other culprits could be fleas, dust mites, cockroaches and even cat dander!


Q:  How is a food allergy treated?


A:  We will likely recommend that you try an elimination diet— feeding a food that has a different protein (meat) source and a different carbohydrate (grain) source than what your dog has had before.  Most common food allergies are beef, dairy and wheat. Common anti-allergy foods (novel protein sources) include fish and rabbit.  These foods prevent the immune response from continuing to be triggered.

In addition, it's also  important that she doesn’t get any other food such as cookies, treats, raw hides, people foods, etc. Since you don’t know yet exactly what she is allergic to, you don’t want to give her something other than her food and trigger the allergic reaction. Once  you’ve got her on a food that she is not reacting to, you can start to reintroduce other foods. If your dog reacts, you’ll know exactly which food (or foods) causes the problem.

We may also suggest a hypo-allergenic diet dog food and a course of medicines until your dog is in tip top shape again!



Q: Can Medications help relieve her symptoms too?

A: Anti-inflammatory drugs including corticosteroids and antihistamines will often bring relief from itching. An oral form of the drug Cyclosporine, has recently been approved for use in Atopy, and may prove beneficial in some cases of allergic dermatitis. Certain omega fatty acids (omega 3) provide some relief for many pets with allergic skin disease. Antibiotics may be required if there is a secondary bacterial skin infection (Pyoderma). However, these products treat only the clinical signs, not the underlying allergy.


Dealing with a dog with  allergies can be challenging. Dr. Henrickson  will work with you and your dog to ensure that a proper diagnosis will be made and an appropriate treatment  will be given to make her happier and healthier!


If   you suspect your dog has allergies, Please give us a call today! at 516-627-0057

Dr. Robert Henrickson, DVM