Why is my dog scratching his mouth with his paw but still eating?

Hi, and thanks for your question. This could be due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.

There are several things that could cause this to happen: bacterial or fungal infection of the skin, splinter out other foreign body under the skin, itchy nose (allergies), tooth root issues, among a few others. You can try rubbing some hydrocortisone cream into it or rubbing an ice cube on it. He may need to wear an e-collar/cone to stop the behavior. But if it continues for another day or two, I would have Perrin checked out by a vet.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to something affecting the mouth such as dental disease, inflammation or even a growth causing discomfort. I recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check what is going on so that therapy can be started. Best of luck!

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sometimes a dog may scratch around the mouth due to food allergies, environmental allergies or even autoimmune issues. If the area is red and irritated you may apply a thin layer of triple antibiotic ointment but Nobby is likely to just lick it off. She is at the age where food allergies may develop so you may wish to try a novel protein diet (generally will need a prescription diet to do this). If the itch continues I would suggest scheduling an examination with your veterinarian as oral antibiotics or other medications like corticosteroids or antihistamines may be needed.

I'm sorry to hear Fuwa if having skin issues. Lesions around the mouth can be due to allergies (food or contact), dental disease, a skin infection (bacterial or fungal), or an u determine medical issue. I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his skin lesion and come up with a treatment plan (dental procedure, antibiotics, anti-itch medication) that may be needed to help resolve it. Good luck!

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 medications such as Apoquel or prednisone which may help with the itch. 

 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!


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.