Licking Feet

My Dakota is always licking inside her pads. She doesn't do it all year but I asked the vet last week when she went for her yearly checkup and was told that it is probably allergies. She told me I could give her up to 3 Benedryl a day but that doesn't seem to be working very well. Any one else have this problem or have suggestions.

If benedryl isnt working, try an adult dose of Claratin. On another forum im on we just had this discussion yesterday.

thanks I'll have to try that, did they say how much they could be given a day

My mom's Saint does that too. She likes to keep herself (especially her feet!) really really clean. This time of year there is a lot more mud and tons more pollen/seeds/stickers/etc. that could get stuck or rub off on her pads. Or maybe she just steps in something that she really likes the taste of!

no I believe it's more than just liking the taste, she does like to stay clean, she's a real girly girly but I believe it's allergies or something like that as she licks and bites them sometimes til they are red

Maybe the air is drying them out and they are painful or something. Are they cracking at all? Have you tried just using a pad oil on them to see if that helps?

dakota wrote:

thanks I'll have to try that, did they say how much they could be given a day

a normal adult dosage.

Some dogs are just groomers. Rufus grooms himself alot and loves to lick his feet and front legs.

My Bud seems to spend most of his time licking his B***s. No help to your problem I know but he seems happy lol !!!
Tony,Bud&Bhindi

Chasidyz, they don't seem to be cracking or dry yet, although we are just now coming into the real warm weather here and real bad pollen everywhere. It is inside the pads and inbetween the toes that gets red from licking. At this point they are not real bad as she just started doing this about a week ago, really hadn't done it all winter but she did have the same problem last year that is why I think maybe the vet was right with allergies. I have to just keep an eye on her and maybe try the Claratin instead of the Benedryl like Lora suggested to see if that helps.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions

Think that's just a boy thing Tony LOL!!!!

i agree diesel is the same - tony !!!

does she slow down the licking if you washer them for her each day?

do you use a cleaner that she walks on and then feels the need to wash off??

how bizzare, Indi for the first time ever has been excessivly licking and chewing his feet just below where his dew claw is, i have been stumped, he is fleaed, wormed , thornit etc, and just had a bath, neems oil has helped but never considered antihistamine, he has never had any skin issues to warrent this . maybe it's his age

Allergies are at an all time high this year in the US. We are suffering terribly as are two of my dogs that have grass allergy. Claratin has helped them, but not us. So if its just cropped up this year, could be that its because the pollen counts are so astronomically high that it has just now caused him problems.

Dakota is only 2 but this is not the 1st time she is doing this, she has been doing it on and off since being a puppy. The Benedryl actually might be working somewhat. I have been giving her 1 with each meal, she does seem to still be itchy sometimes, licking inside her pads but its not as often and not as bad as the other times she has done it. They are not real red and raw like they were last year. I tried the Benedryl last year year but only gave her one once in awhile, they never told me how much to give her, this time I asked and they said up to 3 a day. Maybe enough of it just needed to get into her system to start working good. Dakota is only 100 lbs so if you have this problem too, ask your vet how many to give, you could possibly give more for a bigger saint.

Our eldest Bernard does have spates of licking his feet, sometimes he does it so much he gives himself interdigital cysts. We have had him checked by the vet and as far as we can work out it is probably psychological rather than physiological - basically when he gets a mood on he licks/chews his feet!

To counteract this we dunk his feet in warm salt water to keep them clean and heal the skin. We aslo use a garlic spray made by Dorwest Herbs and spray his feet and inbetween his toes with it. It doesn't matter if he licks the spray as it is a natural product and also a natural antiseptic.

It works for us!

Ali

garlic spray sounds like a good idea - think ill get some for my box of tricks!!!( the- it maybe needed at some point box for dogs!!)

cheri