Dog licking paws and tummy excessively, with red irritated skin?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

• Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

  Veterinarian

  Published on December 5th, 2016

  Fleas can be sneaky, and a dog will often have fleas without the owner seeing them. Another cause of this itchiness includes allergies, which can be common in Basset Hounds. I would take Rosie into the vet in the morning. The vet can use a flea comb to see if she does have fleas, and can do blood tests to determine if she has allergies. Once a cause is diagnosed, the vet can prescribe a treatment.

  

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• Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

  Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

  Published on September 1st, 2017

  I am so sorry that Ginger is having this problem. I certainly understand how frustrating it is to watch your dog be so itchy.
  
  There are a number of reasons for skin problems in dogs. This article does an excellent job of describing them. You could be dealing with allergies (of various types), external parasites (such as fleas or mites), or secondary infections (bacterial or yeast).
  https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-is-my-dog-so-itchy/
  
  This is also an excellent article on itching in dogs and the possible causes and treatments.
  https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2604
  
  Often the first step is making sure there isn’t any evidence of external parasites that need to be treated. You may still be dealing with a flea allergy even if you have treated Ginger for fleas. Once a flea bites a flea allergy dog, that dog can stay itchy for a week. Here is additional information on fleas causing itching in dogs.
  https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2455
  
  I would recommend having your veterinarian evaluate your dog to discuss your treatment options. You will need to discuss resolving any secondary infections which will make Ginger more itchy. This can involve topical treatments (like shampoos, wipes or sprays) or may involve oral medications. You can then discuss medication for the itching (which may be prescription or over the counter medication). There are a number of good treatment options for itching and allergies, but sometimes it takes a little while to find the right combination for your dog. I lived in the Twin Cities for a while and allergies this time of year were horrible. Since Ginger is only two, it is probably worth investigating what treatments work for her, because this may be an ongoing problem.
  
  Please let me know if that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

  

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