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Why are my dog's paws red and itchy? Could pesticides be the cause?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 10 years and 7 months old | 50 lbs

All four lower legs of our dog look red just under the fur. He licks them, not a lot, but some. It's just in the back of the paw pads and up the foot a ways. We live in The Villages where lawns are treated with pesticides...could that be the problem?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Dr. Elizabeth

Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on August 17th, 2019

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.
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Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 12th, 2017

    If they have red and itchy paws then they, most likely, have allergies. Treating them with an oral anti-histamine and/or corticosteroid may be necessary to control the allergies. Have your vet examine them to determine the best way to treat. They might also need an antibiotic if there is evidence of a secondary bacterial infection. You could also soak their paws in a warm Epsom salt solution if an infection is present.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Lauren Kennedy, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on November 1st, 2017

    It looks as if your dog has been chewing her paws excessively. This could be due to something that is stuck in the toes, something that caused an irritation like an insect bite or sting, or most commonly an allergy.

    Dogs can have allergies to things in the environment like dust, pollen, and grass, etc. They inhale allergies and it makes their skin very itchy, breaks down the body’s natural skin barrier, and causes infection.

    Your dog needs a medication to help block the itch sensation and may need an antibiotic to help with infection. Some of the best medications for this include a drug called Cytopoint, which is an injection, and Apoquel, which is a pill she could take daily.

    I would encourage you to find another vet and talk to them about the possibilities of an allergy in your dog and inquire about these drugs. I have seen them help lots of pets with a similar condition.

    I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on November 9th, 2017

    Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. I would recommend starting topical therapy in addition to what your vet previously prescribed. I would recommend starting a shampoo such as Douxo PS calm shampoo and bathe twice weekly. I would also recommend using welactin omega 3 fish oil and essential 6 spot on by dermoscent. Malacetic conditioning spray is a great option to treat localized irritation such as the paw pads and you can use this spray 2-3 times per day to manage the discomfort.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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