Feet licking is back, I'm so so upset

[mustlovdoggs]

Tristan had the feet licking thing going on a month or so ago. We asked for help,, Em had me give him a bone to take his mind off of his feet, It worked.... Now, He has started it up again. He is licking so bad he is making his feet bleed. I don't know what to do. I got him I toy like a kong and put peanut butter or spray cheese in it ( to replace the bone) and he will lick it as fast as he can and go right back to the feet. I give him an allergy pill to help with any allergys he may have. Got him off the food he was on to a food that is better for him and I have been putting hydrocortisone spray on the feet when he starts to lick them. Now, he really hates the taste of the cortisone spray ( I wished you could have seen the face he made ) he hates it and will stop licking for a little bit. But, has soon has he can rub it off, back to licking he goes I do wash his feet after he comes in from outside with cool water. Boy,,,,,, I don't know what to do... Do you think that because it is getting warm here, that is why it is back? It is so bad now. It is worse then it as ever been. Oh, the bone, why I replaced it, He got choked on it. Because his was trying to eat it to fast so he could go back to his feet. I don't want to have to take him to the Vet. They will put him on steriods. I really think that all of the steriods that CJ was on, killed him. Help, he is driving me mad. I know it is making him crazy too.

[Noobs]

Until you are able to find a solution, can you get an e-collar? At least he won't be able to reach his feet for the time being.

[Sarah83]

I'd say you need to take him to a vet and get him allergy tested to be honest, it may be something other than food that's the problem if it is an allergy. Either way if he were mine I'd be going to the vet. It really can't be nice for him to have itchy feet all the time.

[dodge-white boxer]

[quote="Noobs"]Until you are able to find a solution, can you get an e-collar?[/quote
What is one of those? Just curious,cant be an electric one,I know you wouldnt recommend those

[Noobs]

E is short for elizabethan - the ones like this:



Named after the elizabethan era, with the big collars.

And yeah, I wouldn't recommend the other collars - which non-positive trainers like to call "e-collar" so they don't have to say "electric" or what they really are which is shock collars.

[mustlovdoggs]

Noobs, I do have one of them, it was Spencers, I'll put that on him for now but I would really like to stop it. Thanks Girl
Sarah, I know what they will do, They'll give him steriord I do not like them. If I can not find another way, I will take him.
CJ ,my dog that died, Had really bad allergys. It was so bad I had to go to UT to see a Vet there. But, the Vets here, for something like this, They will just give him the steriods and send us on our way until the next time ( a month ) then more steriods. I can not tell you how much I hate them. They are so bad for your dog. I kick myself for letting CJ have them. But thank you for trying to help us. If you think of anything please let me know. I know he is sick of his feet itching. I want to help him so bad but, I am so lost. I just don't want to hurt him, by trying to help him. So lost at what to do for the poor thing.

[Noobs]

Yes, I realize you do want him to stop - I was just suggesting the collar so that for the time being you can keep his mouth away from his feet.

I did a google search for itchy feet and found a couple of articles that may help:

http://home.ivillage.com/pets/symsolve/0,,ljl4,00.html
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Dogs-701/itchy-paw.htm

Is there such a thing as a vet who specializes in dermatology? Anyway, some of the home remedies in those articles might help until you're able to find something more permanent. And I don't remember how this was addressed, but are you sure it's not a food allergy?

[Mattie]

Have a look at the ingredients in his food, if the first ingredient is cereals or maize, it could be that which is causing his alergies, or it could be something else. If you can let me have the ingredients in his food I can dowse to see if they suit him. The problem is I am going away in the morning until Tuesday so I may have to dowse then.

[mustlovdoggs]

His food has And listed this way.... Beef, rice flour, Chicken by-products, yellow corn, Corn gluten meal, animal fat preserved with- mixed-tocopherols, sugar, salt,animal digest(ahh) non- fat, yogurt, carrots,peas, calcium propionate, l-lysine and colors. so any ideas.
Noobs the vet I took CJ to at UT did the allergy testing. She was a Internel med Doctor. I don't think its the food. I don't knnow now. Does anyone know of a food that we can try. It has to be low in fat, because of his Pancretitus (sp? sorry).
I'll check out the site you pulled up. I look on inter net before and didn't find anything, glad you did.

[Noobs]

You can investigate Natural Balance allergy formulas. I have Murphy on Potato and Duck. Not saying to do it for sure, but at least give it a look and see if it's something you might be interested in trying.

http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dogfor ... lergy.html

[Mattie]

His food has And listed this way.... Beef, rice flour, Chicken by-products, yellow corn, Corn gluten meal, animal fat preserved with- mixed-tocopherols, sugar, salt,animal digest(ahh) non- fat, yogurt, carrots,peas, calcium propionate, l-lysine and colors. so any ideas.

He may be having problems with those in blue. Have you thought of home cooking for him?

[mustlovdoggs]

Noobs, Pulled up the site you gave me and it said to recheck his pads.I did. They are dry on the very edge of the pads. I have always put petroleum jelly on his feet, even when he was a pup. But, he hates it, so a lot of times I can not get the feet up to see where it is going on at. I may not be getting it over the whole foot(pad). He pee's on the foor when I mess with the feet. So I have to be fast so he doesn't get upset with me. Sometimes he will put the whole foot in his mouth.I am going to go and get the food that you use. I found it at Petco. That may do it. I'm also going to make him, let me vaseline his feet better. How long do you think it will take the food to help him if it is going to? Also he is a werid little dog and I use to have to leave him alone for a long time when I worked 12 hrs a day, I hated leaving him but, I had to work. The site you gave me said that he may have started doing it, then and it became a habbit. I hope it is a food allergy and not that. If you will let me know how long you think it will take to see a change in the licking after I start the new food and hopfully I will not have to bother you guys anymore with this.
Thanks to everyone that replied to this post and for all of your help. Wish us luck.

[mustlovdoggs]

Mattie, I did cook for him but, it was costing so much money, I had to stop. Did you see the food that Noobs gives her dogs. What do you think about it. I was going to go get some tonight.

[Sarah83]

Sarah, I know what they will do, They'll give him steriord I do not like them. If I can not find another way, I will take him.
CJ ,my dog that died, Had really bad allergys. It was so bad I had to go to UT to see a Vet there. But, the Vets here, for something like this, They will just give him the steriods and send us on our way until the next time

I know what you're saying, ours do the same. But if he's chewing his paws so badly they're bleeding then it doesn't seem fair to let him carry on like that while you figure out what's causing the problem. Putting one of those collars on will stop him chewing at them but it's not going to stop the itching. I'm thinking the steroids as a short term relief for him while you get it under control, not you keep taking him back month after month for more. Have you actually asked the vet to do allergy tests? Mine never suggested it at all, they just kept treating the symptoms. If it's just gotten worse as the weathers warmed up it could well be something seasonal that's aggravated it even more.

I'd also try a grain free food or even home cooking as Mattie suggested. Corn can be a problem as can rice although I think rice is less commonly a problem.

[Mattie]

Many dogs are alergic to brown rice but are fine with white, Joe was like this but he had so many alergies it was difficult to find a food he could eat.