My dog's paw pads are red, flaky, irritated after playing. Allergy?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding King. His paws are red and appear inflamed. This is typically due to allergies. As humans, we inhale allergens such as weeds, grasses, pollens, etc. We will have watery eyes, runny noses, etc. Dogs will experience these symptoms to a certain extent. However, they are out walking through the grass so their paws are most commonly affected. Start by wiping his paws off with a damp rag each time him comes in from outside. This will physically remove some of the allergens. You can also bath his paws with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner such as an oatmeal or fatty acid based formula. Discourage him from licking the paws (with an e-collar of necessary) as this will only make the inflammation worse. If his paws worsen, he will need to see his veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

A food allergy could potentially cause itching and secondary redness on the feet, and it is possible that Vinnie is allergic to a protein source and not a grain. An environmental allergen like pollen or grass would be a little more common. If the redness is on his actual paw pad he could also have an immune mediated disease. I would recommend talking to your veterinarian about additional tests - an allergy blood panel might be helpful, or a biopsy could rule out immune mediated disease.

Hello. This is a very typical presentation of a dog with Atopy, an inhalant or contact skin allergy. Your veterinarian can recommend several different manners in which to address this problem, including medicated shampoos or oral/injectable antiallergy treatments. It is curious that we commonly only see this in 1 foot, but the irritation can develop anywhere on the body. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!

Red skin can be caused by several things including parasites, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy, contact allergies or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Parasites are often ruled out with an oral medication like Simparica or a skin scrape. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmental allergies are a little more difficult to detect but a response to therapy or a blood test can give an indication. Contact allergies are addressed by keeping pets away from things they are allergic to. Once you figure out and address the underlying cause, the redness should not come back. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding 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 by having Luka wear an elizabethan collar if needed. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

This may be an allergic reaction, and Enzo may feel intense itch or discomfort. You can wash just with water all the parts you think are irritated and if the signs are not resolving in the next 8 hours a check up is needed as antihistaminic and or steroids are eventually needed.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Ray. Poor boy. They are a bit red, and it may be he has allergies or an infection causing the redness. I would have this checked out by a vet, and while there, you can get him vaccines. It doesn't look like he need his nails cut at the moment. I hope this helps!