Why is my dog itching, shedding, and chewing his paws? Is it allergies?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Jack. Allergies can be very frustrating but with the right diagnosis and treatment, can be effectively managed. You have described what could very well be seasonal allergies called Atopy in dogs since you talk about a seasonal pattern. We are in a peak time for late summer allergies in humans and dogs who are allergic to weed pollens which are high at this time of year. Of course other inhaled allergies could be present and cross reactivity exists between some allergens. Each year or allergy season can be worse than the last if the pet becomes allergic to more things. Dogs can also be allergic to flea bites called Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) and a smaller group of allergic dogs can have food allergies. What you are describing sounds like an inflammation/infection of the skin due to self trauma caused by Jack licking, scratching, chewing, etc those areas. Once the skin barrier is broken the surface bacteria can multiply and gain access to the deeper skin areas causing problems like you discuss. I would advise taking Jack to your vet and let them take a thorough history, do a complete physical, and then advise some diagnostics and/or treatment to address what is going on. Some skin diagnostics include skin scrape, Wood's lamp exam, fungal culture, etc. These would be performed to rule out a problem with mites or fungal organisms. Treatment for allergies includes antibiotics, antihistamines, sometimes steroids for itching, immune modulating drugs (Apoquel), using a good flea/tick product advised by your vet, fish oil, topical treatments, etc. If you wanted to pursue allergy testing, your vet can advise you on that. There are skin tests and blood tests for that and sometimes that involves going to a veterinary dermatologist for some of those services. The goal would be to identify the allergies and then start a hyposensitization program to decrease the body's immune response to the allergy, very similar to allergy shots. They even make allergy drops or sprays that are oral now. Good luck with Jack. I hope he gets a lot more comfortable very soon.

Poor guy. These are classic signs of allergic dermatitis: licking/chewing at the feet and redness/irritation of the paws and lower limbs. Sherlock likely has an lallergy to something in the environment or certain ingredients in his food. Often-times it is a process to determine what the underlying cause is, but here is some information on how to get started. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952662 https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952600 While determining the cause of your pets allergies, it is best to get him on allergy medication to help control his symptoms (licking of the feet). The two most commonly used treatments for dog allergies are Apoquel or Cytopoint. Ask your vet about them to gain more information and develop a regimen that works best for Sherlock. In addition, you should look into a medicated shampoo for topical relief. Duoxo calm shampoo is available online and works really well. I hope that Shelock is able to manage his allergies well soon! Best wishes and take care.

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!

Sounds like Jack has skin allergies or what we refer to as atopy in dogs. As far as the licking and scooting, he may have an anal sac infection or inflammation. You need to have your veterinarian check his anal glands and discuss referral to a veterinary dermatologist for intradermal skin testing. The skin test determines exactly what Jack is allergic to and allows your veterinarian to formulate a vaccine that can treat him long term,. The goal here is to prevent chronic or recurring skin infections.

Hello, and thank you for your question. Possible causes for Millie's symptoms include skin allergies, skin parasites (mites, fleas), bacterial infection or fungal infection, or a combination of these. Was there any new food or treat introduced prior to these problems starting? If so, I would start by eliminating this. You can also try soaking Millie's feet in a shallow bath of Epsom salts and lukewarm water, to help provide some relief. Bathing her with a gentle aloe and oatmeal type shampoo may help to wash off any surface allergens causing irritation. If she is chewing or biting at her skin or paws, you wil need to put an e-collar (cone) on her head to prevent further damage. If these suggestions do not help, I would recommend taking Millie to the vet. They can perform tests to check the underlying cause, such as a skin scraping, skin cytology or fungal culture. At minimum, they can prescribe medications to help with her itchiness and treat suspected bacterial infections. I hope this helps, and that Millie is feeling better soon!

Hello, I am sorry to hear about Bentley. It is possible that Bentley is experiencing environmental allergies if he is itchy and having dry/flaky skin. Another sign of environmental allergies can be licking/ chewing on paws. If Bentley continues to itch and have skin problems medications can be added to help minimize his environmental allergies. Alternatively it is possible that Bailey is having skin problems for another reason. The areas that you describe are most commonly affected in pets that are dealing with a flea problem. If you notice any dark colored debris in those areas, this could potentially be the problem. Bentley could also have a skin infection or other problem. If he continues to itch and experience dandruff I would recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian. They may perform skin tests such as a skin scrape or impression smear to look for infection and other abnormalities. Hope this helps, good luck!

When dogs chew at their feet excessively it is usually due to allergies. The allergy is typically to something in the environment but could be due to an ingredient in the food. If infection is present, the Rexxy may need antibiotics. He would also benefit from an anti-itch medication such as Atopica, Apoquel, or Cytopoint. Your veterinarian can help determine which of these treatments will work best for Rexxy. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.