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Dog's paw pads black, nails brown, chewing feet. Yeast infection?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 55 lbs

My three year old dog normally has bright pink paw pads and pink/white nails. Within the last month her nails are turning brown and her paw pads are turning black. She is also chewing at her feet and nails frequently. At first I thought it was due to aging and/or her digging habit causing dirt to get trapped under the nails, but it doesn't seem to get any better despite regular baths and nail clipping. Is this normal?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on August 2nd, 2017

A common cause for color change on the feet of dogs is from a yeast infection. Yeast can grow on the skin around the nails and between paw pads and is very itchy. The dog then licks and chews the area which will also cause saliva staining, which turns the hair a reddish-brown color. The most common cause of a yeast infection on the feet of dogs is allergies. Allergies could be to a food protein, the environment, or fleas. Other less common causes of the issues you have described would be bacterial infection or immune-mediated disease. I recommend that Hadley be checked by a vet so that the appropriate medications or allergy treatments can be used. While you are waiting for the appointemnt, you can try using a pet product that contains chlorhexidine (an antibacterial agent) and ketoconazole (an antifungal/antiyeast agent) to treat topical infections. I like this one: Mal-a-ket Shampoo Formulated for Dogs.
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Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Jennifer Ladd, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 9th, 2018

    This is a very typical response to itchy feet, and the discoloration comes from opportunistic yeast that love to grow in damp environments. Very often this type of behavior is a result of allergies- environmental or food. I would recommend consulting your veterinarian as allergies can be complicated to navigate. Often, the first thing to be done is a food elimination diet for 8 weeks. This involves a strict regime of a novel protein, restricted ingredient food. Often a great place to start.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Emily, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on November 4th, 2017

    This could be a yeast infection of his toes. Sometimes cleaning off all feet multiple times a day with a gentle soap as well as preventing any licking/chewing at their feet helps to clear up their toes. However if it gets worse, your dog has any swelling/redness/pain or does not get better then he needs to see a veterinarian for an exam.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Health & Wellness
My dog's nails are red. Is it a yeast infection? When to see a vet?
The most common cause of brown discoloration of nails is a yeast infection. Most yeast infections are secondary to allergies and excessive licking of the paws. If he licks his paws then you should talk to your vet about trying medications to control his allergies. In the mean time you could soak his paws in a warm Epsom salt solution and see if that helps. Dry them well after soaking.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
Why does my dog have bald spots and discolored paw pads/nails?
Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The tan on the pink part of his paws in normal callus formation over time. In dogs with black paws it is less obvious. The brown discoloration in the nails usually indicates a yeast infection of the nails. If he isn't licking the feet or having any problems you may not have to do anything for the yeast. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
My dog's paws are red and licked. Is it yeast, infection, or hyperkeratosis?
Hi the main similarity is that they can both affect paws. However, hypercheratosis is not a fungal infection in can be genetically inherited and it is common in certain breeds such as Labradors Retrievers and affects the pads. Fungal infection is mostly found inbetween the pads and it is mostly caused by Malassetia, a yeast that is normally present on skin but that can overgrow in certain circumstances. To treat the Yest infection you could use a dog shampoo called Malaseb, or bathe Bruno’s paws in diluted Hibiscrub ( Chlorexidine )which I think you should be able to find in India too. Bathing should be done for 1-2 weeks twice a day in diluted solution of 1:20. Hope this helps !
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
Why is my dog constantly chewing his paws? Pads are red, nails brown.
Poor Bjorn! It sounds like he may have allergies (food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment), a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or even some type of mange - these are all common causes of excessive itching and redness affecting the paws. Epsom salt baths were a very reasonable thing to try - but since they aren't helping anymore, I'm afraid it's definitely time for a vet visit. Your vet can do some simple skin tests to help determine what is causing the redness and itching, and will prescribe appropriate medication to treat the problem depending on what is found.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog's paw pads are discolored. What does this mean for her health?
Coloration of the paw pads can change as a dog ages, and may turn pinkish or brown, especially if old skin has sloughed off or there was an injury that healed. Signs of a problem to look out for include licking or chewing of the feet, redness or inflammation, pain, visible swelling or injury, strange smells, or if the discolored area is painful to the touch or non-weight bearing. These are all signs of something else ongoing such as an infection, allergy, or injury, which should be treated by your vet.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Grooming
Why are my dog's paws brown? What causes paw stains and how to fix?
This brownish discoloration of the skin and hair is usually caused by saliva staining - the saliva has chemical compounds in it that turn brown when exposed to air. Most of the time, when a dog's paws look like this, it's a sign that they have been licking or chewing their paws excessively. It's likely that Rocky has allergies causing this problem - either food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment. I would recommend taking him to the vet to have this checked when you're able to, so that he can get started on appropriate treatment to keep him from continuing to chew at his paws. Once he stops licking and chewing, the brown staining will gradually resolve on its own. In the meantime, you can also try a whitening dog shampoo to see if this helps - this probably won't completely get rid of the stains, but may help to make them less noticeable.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog has black hair clusters on paw pads and licks them. What is it?
It looks like King has a skin infection. This is called potodermatitis and can be caused by allergies to food or something in the environment, irritation from salt on the ground in the winter, and many more causes. You can try soaking King's feet in Epsom salt bath twice a day for a couple days and also placing an e-collar on him so he's unable to lick at his feet. If they are still red and he still wanting to lick at them after a couple days of this I would recommend taking him to his veterinarian because he probably is in need of some medication to stop the itching, as well as antibiotics. Good luck to you and King!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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