Dog grass allergies: How to stop paw licking and itching at home?

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Licking of the paws is a common sign of allergies. Topical medications are not recommended because the animals will lick it off and it isn't effective. You can soak the paws in Epsom salts or wipe them down after coming in from outside in case they lick them because of contact with the grass or being wet. Or use a medicated shampoo(see link). If it is an allergy I would recommend a diet change-change the meat protein. I do not recommend grain-free diets in goldens right now. Chicken is the most common allergen. I would consider an antihistamine (see link). If that doesn't help they need to see your Vet to have the feet examined to check for infection. I like cytopoint for foot licking over apoquel. Good luck! https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27307 https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/zyrtec/

Hi and thanks for your post. You may consider food allergy testing to determine what Olive is allergic to so those allergens can be avoided in the diet. There is also a medication called Apoquel that can really help as well as Cytopoint which also works very well at controlling allergy symptoms in dogs. Environmental allergy testing can help in determine what exactly she may be allergic to in her environment such as grass, pollen, weeds, etc. and an immunotherapy injection towards those substances she is allergic to is made specifically for her. These injections are a little bit expensive but works exceptionally well if all else has failed. Hope this helps and best wishes to you and Olive!

If this is related to allergies, you may want to consider allergy testing. This can be intradermal or blood testing. Once her allergies are known, she is given a special serum to help modify her immune system's response. This therapy has about an 80% success rate. I recommend to discuss this option with your veterinarian. Protect the paws from trauma (you may consider dog booties) and have her examined as much as needed. An elizabethan collar will also help prevent licking which can make things worse. Best of luck.

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.

Poor Chat! What you're describing is very often a sign of environmental allergies, which is a common problem in dogs. It sounds like you're doing everything you can with over-the-counter remedies, so I would recommend a vet visit for an exam as the next step from here. If your veterinarian confirms that allergies are the problem, there are prescription medications that can be used to relieve the itching much more effectively. Allergy testing and immunotherapy is another options that your veterinarian can discuss with you, if you wish.

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.

We can't give doses of medications, even OTC ones, as it is illegal for us to do so. It could be a contact allergy, and the best thing to do would be to rinse and dry the paws after being in the grass. https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/