My dog licks paws, chews, and has leg spasms. Are allergies the cause?

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 could certainly be allergies. In reality, Benadryl probably would not help much in this case. Medications to decrease the itch that could help him include prednisone or a medication called Apoquel. The possible secondary infection would have to be treated as well. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. 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 her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. The secondary wounds are likely due to infections from the licking and need therapy with antibiotics for her to get better overall. 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!

Food is believed to be the cause of a minority of allergy cases, in most cases the allergy is caused by something else, usually something environmental and usually the cause of the allergy is not found. For these cases, which are the majority of cases, treatment of the allergy is done nowadays with a medication called apoquel .

I'm wondering if Koa has allergies, as chewing paws can be a sign of allergies. I'd ask his vet if this can be a possibility and discuss potentially using an allergy medication on him like Apoquel or Cytopoint. I'm sorry he's doing poorly!

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!

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.