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Why does my dog have recurring paw sores and won't stop licking?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | neutered

My dog keeps getting these sores on his paws and won’t stop licking them. What are these?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Dr. Elizabeth

Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on February 20th, 2019

Sores on the paws can occurr for many reasons. If it is a chronic issue, underlying allergies or a thyroid disorder are likely the issue. These conditions weaken the skin’s natural defenses and allow bacteria and yeast to set up opportunistic infections. The photo of Sammy‘s foot shows a round, pink lesion. It almost looks like some sort of a mass from the picture. I recommend to have Sammy visit his veterinarian to check that area out. If it is a mass, it should be aspirated as skin masses that look this way are suspicious for a cancerous skin growth called a mast cell tumor. However there are benign skin masses that look very similar as well. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.
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