Dog chewing paws in snowy winter? Is rock salt causing irritation?

Poor pup! The snow, ice, and salt on the ground to melt the ice can be very hard on a dog's paws. While he is at home, you can put a little vaseline on his paws to help the chapping. Put a sock over his paws to keep him for licking at the vaseline, and put some tape very loosely on the top of the sock to keep it on. You may have to put an Ecollar on him to keep him from licking at the socks, and you can get one from your vet's clinic or a pet store. When you are walking him outside, I recommend getting Musher's Secret. That will help protect his paws from the snow, ice, and salt. You can get it online or in a pet store. As for his nose, he may have snow nose, which is when a dog's nose turns lighter in color in months when there isn't much sunlight. It should become darker again when spring and summer returns.

Hello, I'm sorry to hear that Sadie is so uncomfortable. Chewing and licking at their paws can be caused by a couple different things. Often times it's an allergy to something that causes irritation and redness. This causes the paws to feel itchy which is why dogs will chew and bite. It could also be that Sadie has been bitten by something which is causing her to feel the itchiness. That typically wouldn't last as long and it wouldn't be affecting all of her paws. Allergies in dogs can be caused by an allergic reaction to something they are eating or by something in their environment. Examples of something in the environment could be laundry detergent, something blooming in the area where they play, or something they're just constantly coming into contact with that is irritating them. At home you can try a mild oatmeal-based shampoo that you can buy at the grocery store. Give Sadie a bath with the shampoo and make sure you let it sit on her skin for about 10 minutes before rinsing. If this does not seem to help I would recommend getting an appointment with your veterinarian to make sure she doesn't have a secondary infection that is causing her to be uncomfortable. I would not advise using any creams for her because licking those off her feet could be dangerous and make her sick. Good luck and I hope she feels better soon.

It appears that Roxie either has a cut on her paw pad or has licked her paw raw. It is possible she is licking her paw secondary to trauma, allergies or even infection. I would recommend taking her to a vet to determine the cause and appropriate treatment. If the paw if infected she might need antibiotics. I would recommend placing her in a cone around her neck to help prevent the licking. You can try an over the counter anti histamine to help with the itchy but that will not resolve an infection.

Dogs may chew on their feet for a number of reasons. The most common of these is underlying allergies to either environmental or food allergens. Nearly anything can cause an allergic response, and these reactions in dogs typically lead to itching, which often manifests as chewing on or licking the feet. Other causes of foot chewing include foreign material in the paw pads or nail beds, infection in the skin or pads of the feet, problems with the toenails, pain, or obsessive behavioral issues. A trip to the veterinarian is best in order to examine your dog’s feet, perform any necessary diagnostic tests, and determine the best course of treatment. Allergy management strategies, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medications, or anxiety medication may be needed to help get your dog’s foot chewing under control. Finally, I suggest you check out [this article](https://www.petcoach.co/article/most-common-reasons-why-dogs-chew-their-paws/) for additional information about this common behavior.

Great question! I recommend Musher's Secret, it's a safe paw wax that helps protect a dog's paws in winter. You can get it off the internet or possibly in a pet store. Another option is booties. Some people put booties on their dogs for walks outside to protect them against the snow, ice, and salt on the roads and sidewalks. Some dogs are fine with the booties while others absolutely hate them, so Musher's Secret would be your best bet to try first. Good luck, I hope this helps!

It is likely that the cold conditions, low humidity, and salt on the ground has caused his paws to dry out and become cracked/sore. Consider looking into getting winter booties for Kiba. Ruffwear makes wonderful dog boots for the cold weather. You can also try a paw protectant like Musher's Secret to help prevent injury to his paws.

Allergies are the most common cause of itchy feet in dogs. Sometimes dog will chew to the point that they develop a skin infection, so if Charlie has redness or discharge between the toes or if she is chewing constantly you may want to have your vet take a look. I also recommend wiping feet every time Charlie comes inside from outdoors since some allergens like pollens can be absorbed through the feet.