My dog keeps licking her paw. When should I worry and see a vet?

I am sorry to hear about Ellie. Licking a paw can be a sign of pain, allergy, infection, wound, infected or torn toe nail. You can place an e-collar on her and use an ointment such as hydrocortisone or betamethasone, however if it is not improving in a few days a vet visit is recommended.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be 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. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Prevent Ellie from licking her paws. This may require an e-collar. If there are no open wounds soak her feet in a epsom salt soak for a few minutes and rinse well. If there is any open wounds, peeling of paw pads or oozing then she need to see a vet. There are booties you can buy to protect her feet if she is out playing on rough ground. Do not walk her on pavement if it is hot to the touch. Some dogs may lick their feed due to allergies or contact irritation. Keep her feet clean and dry. Wiping her feet with a damp cloth after walking can help remove surface irritants.

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.

Poor pup! If Princess is licking her paws to the point that they are bleeding, this is definitely not normal. The most common cause of excessive licking or chewing of the paws is an allergy problem - either seasonal environmental allergies or food allergies can cause this. Other possibilities would include a bacterial or fungal skin infection in this area, or even skin mites (mange). I would recommend having Princess examined by a vet as soon as you are able to - he/she can do some simple skin tests if needed to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate medication to treat it. In the meantime, I would recommend getting an e-collar (plastic cone) for her to wear to prevent her from continuing to lick her paws and make things worse.

Allergies are certainly suspected since Molly has been licking at her paws and chest. The most common underlying causes of allergies are related to fleas, food or the environment. When dogs lick or scratch excessively, they can cause skin infections to develop, which are also itchy and create a vicious cycle. The appearance of Molly's red and crusty skin lesions are suspicious for the presence of a skin infection, which require oral antibiotics for treatment. Make sure that she is receiving a high quality flea preventative (such as Nexgard, Bravecto or Advantix) regularly and take her to the vet for an exam. The vet will be able to prescribe any necessary medications (likely antibiotics and anti-itch medications) to help. You can also try giving her baths in a gentle oatmeal based dog shampoo. Until you can take her to the vet, put an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent further skin damage from licking. I hope that she is feeling better soon!

Poor Hermione. The pink color may be due to saliva staining from the constant licking, and that could also cause the swelling. This behavior is a very common sign of allergies, but you need to take her into the vet who can diagnose if she does have allergies and can treat her. Tonight, put an Ecollar on her to keep her from licking her paws further. You can make one at home or buy one at a pet store. Best of luck. http://dogsaholic.com/care/homemade-dog-cone.html