My dog keeps biting his paws. Is Aquaphor safe to use on them?

Poor Maxx. Allergies are no fun, you can try a few at home remedies, but if he doesn't get relief he honestly may need a veterinary visit. Antihistamines can be hit or miss in dogs but you can certainly try Benadryl twice daily if it gives him some relief. You can also soak his feet in lukewarm Epsom salt solution once or twice daily. Malaseb shampoo may help if there is any yeast or bacterial infection component to his itching. When using the medicated shampoos I typically recommend lathering them up, especially affected areas and allowed to soak for up to 20 to 30 minutes before rinsing. If you have a crate or someplace Maxx can hang out while sudsy that helps. And for dogs that will not leave their feet alone I strongly recommend getting an E collar. Sometimes you have to break the cycle of the scratching and licking before seeing any improvement. If there are open sores or very raw areas I would recommend trying to do a veterinary visit as that indicates secondary infection and will likely need systemic treatment as well. I hope Max gets some relief soon thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Based on your picture it looks like a rough paw pad and likely not the reason for the chewing. But if that is the only feet and pads that look like that it could be an injury. I would use an E-collar to prevent further licking and chewing. Soak his feet twice daily is an Epsom salt bath and start an antihistamine. The most common reason for feet licking and chewing is allergies. Good luck! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/zyrtec/

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Vaseline is safe to use but if you want something more natural then the ResQ skin treatment is all natural and would be fine to use to apply to the paw pads until resolved. If the paw pads begin to look swollen or show any signs of infection (pus, etc.) then I would recommend having Snowball examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Sawyer may develop a bit of diarrhea and/or vomiting but it should resolve quickly. You can buy protective booties to use on walks or you can use a paw cream such as Musher's Secret. It is a safe cream for pets and works great. You can order it online or buy it at most pet stores.

Thank you for posting your question regarding Cody. The pictures are definitely helpful in getting the full picture of what is going on. There is hair loss and the skin is inflamed and reddened in the pictures. If he is biting / licking at his feet and they look like this, he may be dealing with allergies. Does Cody come into contact with grass? If he does, he may have a contact allergy with the type of grass that is growing this time of year. Epsom salt soaks probably won't help a huge amount but they also won't hurt. The soaks may provide some relief while the feet are soaking. The primary problem probably won't be addressed with epsom salt soaks alone. I would suggest administering Benadryl over the counter. You can give 1mg per pound of body weight, so Cody's dose would be approximately 50mg every 12 hours if he is indeed 50lb. There are multiple causes of allergies but if it is isolate to the feet, I think a contact allergen leading to the above mentioned symptoms. Your veterinarian will be able to send you home with better products to relieve the symptoms further such as sprays and oral medications if the benadryl is not working. There are specific anti-itch drugs available now and injections that are quite safe to use. I would also suggest natural supplements such as Omega 3 fish oil (Welactin for canines), Essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent is another great natural oil product and a shampoo such as Duoxo PS to bathe Cody twice weekly until the symptoms are gone. Hope this answers your question and if you have any other concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me for further help.

I actually would not recommend putting anything topical on it if he can potentially lick it off. Neosporin is not particularly toxic if a small amount is ingested but it won't have a chance to work if your dog is licking. I'd recommend putting an e-collar on him to keep him from licking. If there is a raw spot or other skin lesion it would be a good idea to have your vet take a look - he might need oral medications for it to resolve. I doubt he would need anesthesia unless there is a skin growth that is there.

Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent further licking. You can soak the paw in an Epsom salt foot bath for 10-15 minutes daily. Make sure the paw is completely dry afterwards. A soak in diluted chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) may also provide some relief.