My dog keeps licking and nibbling his paw. What should I do?

It looks like he might have chewed a hot spot onto his foot. It may have started with a minor scratch or bug bite or allergies. That itched, he chewed it, which irritated the area, which makes it itch more, and so on. I recommend getting him seen by your vet soon to have his skin checked. After an exam and possibly some lab work, your vet will have a better idea what is going on and how best to treat it.

It looks like Archie does have a skin infection of his paws that would likely benefit from prescription Simplicef (oral antibiotics for the skin), a 2 week course of Apoquel (a non-steroidal allergy medication, an e-collar as well as dose of one of the newer oral flea/tick preventatives that also treats mange such as NexGard, Simparica or Bravecto. An e-collar for a week plus a medicated antibacterial/antifungal shampoo such as Malaseb for the paws would be helpful as well. It may have started from paw licking from stress or from environmental allergies leading to a secondary bacterial and/or yeast infection of the paws. Your vet can do a skin scrape to try to rule out mange, or switch him to NexGard to see if it resolves the lesions. Congrats on your new baby and good luck!

Hello. Licking of the feet or scratching at the ears can be a sign of allergies either to the environment or to food. It can also be a sign of parasites. Infection can also be a cause as well. If the licking is continuing then I would bring Orion to a vet when you can. They will check for infection and see if medications are needed. Also, you can discuss allergies with them and discuss different food options to try. Often switching the meat protein (switch from a beef based diet to a chicken based diet for example) is the most rewarding. Good luck with Orion.

The most common reasons that dogs lick and chew at their paws is allergies. She could have an allergy and/or a seondary bacterial infection. You could soak her paws in a warm Epsom Salt solution and see if that helps. Otherwise, she should be examined by a vet for treatment. She may need an antibiotic, anti-histamine, and a corticosteroid to help.

Poor Kiba! This licking can be due to an injury, infection, or allergies. The only way to know for sure is how have him seen by a vet, and I do recommend taking him in tomorrow if possible. I would put an Ecollar on him tonight to keep him from licking it, and I will put a link below on how to make one at home. You can also try to soaking his foot in an Epsom salt bath to give him some temporary relief. http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html

Arnold's paws look irritated. This irritation could be due to allergies or walking over rough surfaces (like dry grass or gravel). If he is licking the paws, this could be a sign of discomfort. I recommend to have Arnold checked by the veterinarian to make sure this is not infection. You can also add in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Excessive licking can be related to skin infection between the toes, skin inflammation or an allergy. A visit at your local vets is recommended to make the definite diagnosis and to start treatment for Koda. In the meantime, try and stop Koda from licking the paws as he will likely make the skin more inflamed. Using a head collar or bandage the paws (and change the bandage daily) may be necessary.