Pug chewing back feet at night: Could it be her food or allergies?

It sounds like there is underlying condition causing the relapse - allergies and food sensitivities are common causes. I recommend a hydrolyzed diet such as royal canin hypoallergenic for 8-10weeks to assess for diet triggers and possibly blood tests for allergies

There are many possible causes for allergies, food sensitivities is definitely possible but there could be many other options. In order to rule this in or out, a 6-8weeks trial on a hydrolysed diet such as royal canin hypoallergenic or hills z/d is recommended - if improvement is noted then food is a likely trigger, if not then further investigation is required. If food is the trigger for her itching it can be a slow process of gradually reintroducing ingredients to see which cause flare ups or to find a suitable diet which suits her

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!

This sounds like a food allergy to me, though fleas are a constant threat and she should be on a good quality flea prevention from your vet. Food allergies in dogs are almost always due to a sensitivity to the protein source. I suggest a food trial. Get a food that has a protein source your dog has never been exposed to, such as venison or duck. Ask you vet about limited protein foods they recommend. Also, treat your house and yard for fleas, just to make sure this isn't a problem. Fleas are opportunistic and will hitch a ride indoors on your pant leg. Behavioral chewing is much less common, but in order to curb that possibility, make sure Yuki gets plenty of playtime and exercise, to tire her physically and mentally. Poms are smart little things and behavior problems often stem from very intelligent dogs not having enough to keep them busy, they need a 'job'. Teach her obedience, get her involved in agility, take her for walks, runs, arrange playdates with other dogs, take her with you wherever you can, teach her tricks, play fetch, anything and everything you can to tire her body and keep her mind busy. Consider getting her a slow feeder or puzzle feeder to make her 'hunt' for her food, and thereby keep her mind occupied and stimulated. The best toy I've found for dogs that need something to do is a Kong toy. They are great for chewing, they bounce randomly so some dogs learn how to amuse themselves with it, and it has a hollow place you can stuff with peanut butter or some other treat to keep her quiet and occupied and not chewing on herself. Hopefully some combination of these will help distract her from chewing herself.

You could talk to your vet about trying an allergy medication called Apoquel or Cytopoint. Apoquel is an oral medication and Cytopoint is an injection administered every 4 - 8 weeks. Both medications do great job of controlling allergies in dogs.

This does indeed look like an allergy - blood tests and an 8 week diet trial on a hydrolyzed diet such as royal canin anallergenic are the best way to determine exactly what may be triggering her symptoms - foods, dust mites and pollens are all common factors

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think that this is still likely due to allergies. Sometimes dogs can be allergic to more than 1 thing at a time. It may be that she has allergies to something else in the food that she is eating or that she is also allergic to something else in the environment or fleas. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her 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!