Why is my dog scratching, licking paws, whimpering after grooming?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Scratching ears is usually a sign of ear canal infection or an allergy. Also, excessive licking of the paws suggest skin problem or an allergy. A visit at your local vets is recommended as Carl may need a course of ear drops and / or anti-allergic medication.

By your description, your dog might have a sensitivity to being groomed and may have developed "clipper irritation" (aka "clipper burn"). Clipper irritation is not an actual burn. It is, in fact, similar to the type of skin irritation people experience when they shave too close on dry or sensitive skin. [Professional groomers](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-signs-of-a-good-groomer) may recommend the following types of treatment to help soothe the skin and calm the scratching: * Bathing in plain oatmeal or [oatmeal shampoo](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/earthbath-oatmeal-and-aloe-totally-natural-pet-shampoo) for pets * Gently applying witch hazel to affected areas * Gold Bond medicated powder or plain cornstarch * Triple antibiotic cream or ointment * [Hydrocortisone spray](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-spray-with-5-hydrocortisone) for pets (available in petstores) * Bag Balm * Specific treatments for soothing clipper or razor irritation (available in petstores) - sprays, gels, shampoos * Diaper rash cream With some of these suggestions you will need to make sure that your pet cannot lick off the treatment. Rubbing creams or ointments in completely and/or wiping off excess, using an [E-collar](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/well-and-good-e-collar) (cone), or only applying when you can observe your dog closely can all help to prevent ingestion and excessive licking. If your dog has open wounds or any of her wounds worsen even with treatment or appear infected, please see your veterinarian immediately. She may have developed a skin infection secondary to the clipper irritation.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Chewbacca. It could be he has experienced an allergic reaction from something at the groomer. Typically allergic reactions require stronger medications such as steroids. I'd take him into a vet now to get this treated. By the way, he is adorable!

Lilly Lynne may have a bit of rash or razor burn if she was trimmed close. First be sure she is on appropriate flea control as she may have picked up fleas from groomer. Benedryl is acceptable to use once or twice daily if it give her relief. She may also be having a reaction to the shampoo or fragrance the groom used. I would give her a bath in dawn to wash off any residue to see if that helps. (Original blue dish soap dawn). If no improvement then she may need a vet visit. I hope she’s back to normal quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

Hi. Most pets link their paws due to allergies. I recommend talking to your veterinarian about allergies and medications for it. In the meantime, you can give a children's benedryl, 12.5 MG twice daily. Good luck.

It's possible there could be some soap stuck causing irritation of the paws, or even an allergic reaction from the shampoo/bathing. Yeast infections, fungus and bacteria and even some tumors, can also take hold between the toes where it tends to remain moist. Keeping an Elizabethan (cone) collar on Kilo and thoroughly washing the paws with a clean washcloth may help, however if the area doesn't heal up, remains irritated, or worsens, having a vet take a look is best.

Hi Julie! Poor Perry - he certainly did remove a good bit of hair from that area. Since all of this chewing and itching started after his grooming, I have to wonder if he isn't allergic to the shampoo or other grooming products that were used. Some dogs can also develop a folliculitis, or inflammation at the hair follicle, after grooming, but this typically causes some redness on the skin. It's also possible that the timing is coincidental and that this problem is associated with underlying allergies or other medical conditions. As a starting point, try to give Perry a bath with a gentle hypoallergenic oatmeal shampoo or baby shampoo to try to remove any residue that may remain from the other products. If he's still licking and chewing a few days after the bath, it would be best to have him evaluated by his vet. The vet will be able to examine his skin, perform any necessary testing, and may need to prescribe some topical or oral medication to help manage his itching/chewing. Even though this doesn't sound like a classic flea problem (and you aren't seeing fleas), it's still important to keep Perry on flea prevention consistently to be sure that fleas aren't contributing to the problem. I hope this helps and that all goes well!