My dog chews paws and has a grey spot. Could it be allergies or skin?

It's hard to say if Spot started licking the paw because of allergies or a wound. Excessive licking of the paws can cause secondary trauma to the skin and pads. Pads can take 6-8 weeks to completely heal, so preventing licking and protecting the pad is the best treatment. If the skin between the toes is also affected, I would recommend having Spot examined by a a vet to determine if there is an active infection. Allergies can cause paw licking, but it is generally on 2 or 4 feet, so I think it is less likely in this case.

When dogs itch and chew excessively on their feet it is usually due to an allergy. The allergy can be to something in their food (usually the protein) or they can have environmental allergies to things like grasses and pollens. These dogs usually benefit from a special diet and an anti itch medication like Apoquel or Cytopoint. These medications help block the itch sensation so the dog stops itching. Toby's allergies look pretty severe based on the pictures you loaded. So I would recommend talking to your vet about getting him started on one of the medications mentioned above to help give him some relief.

Hi there. What you are describing is suspicious of allergies. While I always recommend that my clients get a skin scrape first to make sure there are no mites, etc, if this is negative we begin the journey to diagnosing the possible allergens. Many dogs have flea allergies. If your pet is up to date on a good flea preventative, this is not as likely. Commonly, dogs can develop food allergies over time as well. The worst part of checking for this is that a true food trial (a new specialized diet) has to be the ONLY thing you feed and can take a few months to see real resorts. Allergy medications are available now through your veterinarian's office. Depending on what they see on physical exam, your pet might be. Candidate for Apoquel or chtopoint injections to control itching. I hope this information helps!

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!

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 is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat Wist with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. advocate or advantage), then get him to the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveale an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try discovering the cause of the allergy. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to stop the chewing and repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). simultaneously you should start him on a prescription hypoallergenic diet for at least 2 months. There is also a nice topical spray available if the problem remains on the paws only, it's called Cortavance and you can get it at the vets. Hopefully you will see some results after all this, if not you and your vet should consider putting him on a long term allergy treatment (Atopica or Apoquel).

This is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.