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paw licking

  • 17-02-2014 11:22pm
    #1
    Tea Tree
    Closed Accounts Posts: 116 ✭✭


    I'm pretty sure it's an anxiety/ nervousness thing. He's only been with us for a couple of weeks but he licks his paws constantly. it's obviously been going on for a long long time and though I think it has eased a bit he still licks a lot. I've tried getting him interested in chewy toys to try to transfer some of that nervousness onto something else but to no avail :( I know he will improve over time as he learns that we're the good guys, but I worry that he will lick til there are real sore spots there. Paws are a bit pink as it is. If I say "ah ah" he will stop for a few seconds but if I keep saying it I feel like I'm constantly giving out to him....
    any tips?
    Poor thing on the couple of occasions he has lifted a chewy toy/ he drops it and scurries away as soon as he sees anyone looking at him or if anyone comes near as he thinks he's done something wrong. It's like he spends his life saying "I'm sorry" over and over....:(:(
    I took both dogs for a short run today and he looked so happy, just focussed on moving and forgot all his little worries for a while.

    We're at the vets tomorrow anyway but wondered if any of you have experience of this and what worked?

    And finally... any opinions on neutering such a timid dog? That's another conversation to have with the vet. My gut instinct tells me not yet....


Comments

  • #2
    cocker5
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,274 ✭✭✭cocker5


    Tea Tree wrote: »
    I'm pretty sure it's an anxiety/ nervousness thing. He's only been with us for a couple of weeks but he licks his paws constantly. it's obviously been going on for a long long time and though I think it has eased a bit he still licks a lot. I've tried getting him interested in chewy toys to try to transfer some of that nervousness onto something else but to no avail :( I know he will improve over time as he learns that we're the good guys, but I worry that he will lick til there are real sore spots there. Paws are a bit pink as it is. If I say "ah ah" he will stop for a few seconds but if I keep saying it I feel like I'm constantly giving out to him....
    any tips?
    Poor thing on the couple of occasions he has lifted a chewy toy/ he drops it and scurries away as soon as he sees anyone looking at him or if anyone comes near as he thinks he's done something wrong. It's like he spends his life saying "I'm sorry" over and over....:(:(
    I took both dogs for a short run today and he looked so happy, just focussed on moving and forgot all his little worries for a while.

    We're at the vets tomorrow anyway but wondered if any of you have experience of this and what worked?

    And finally... any opinions on neutering such a timid dog? That's another conversation to have with the vet. My gut instinct tells me not yet....


    Poor wee pet...

    have you tired giving him a stuffed kong? stuff it with loaw fat cheese (philly) or pate

    http://petdepotdirect.ie/epages/950004079.sf/en_IE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950004079/Products/%22035585111315KONG%20CLASSIC%22/SubProducts/%22035585111315KONG%20CLASSIC-0002%22


    its gives him the licking sensation but it will give his paws some rest, you can get these in all good vets or online nearly everywhere.

    I think the paw licking is anxiety... have you considered some dog "rescue remedy" this could help relax him a bit? I got some in my local health food store for my dog when he was a pup, it really helped.

    http://www.bachrescueremedypet.com/


    the DAP's are supposed to work great with nervous dogs...

    http://www.dapdiffuser.com/

    Best of luck

    :)


  • #3
    tk123
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,045 ✭✭✭✭tk123


    What are you feeding him as it could be diet related?


  • #4
    Tea Tree
    Closed Accounts Posts: 116 ✭✭Tea Tree


    I'm just back from the vet and he says the paws are ok and the pinkness is just discolouration from the saliva.
    tk123 wrote: »
    What are you feeding him as it could be diet related?

    Could be and the vet mentioned this but it's more likely to be whatever he was fed before he came to me. He's on barking heads now. Actually when I look at photos of the day we got him and now there is an improvement so we're going in the right direction.

    I bought another kong so I can have have both dogs in different rooms with one. Yesterday I gave him a rubbery bone thing covered in peanut butter just to get him interested but he licked the floor around it and then lay in front of it licking his paws. :( He really seems to think he's not allowed pick anything up and unfortunately the 2 things he has picked up I had to take off him again (pencil and shoe).

    Anyhow the vet is happy enough with his weight, just needs another 1.5kg on.
    He does have an ear infection which can't have been helping things either :( so i've drops for that and have to bring him back in 2 weeks.

    cocker5 wrote: »

    I think the paw licking is anxiety... have you considered some dog "rescue remedy" this could help relax him a bit? I got some in my local health food store for my dog when he was a pup, it really helped.

    http://www.bachrescueremedypet.com/


    the DAP's are supposed to work great with nervous dogs...

    http://www.dapdiffuser.com/

    Best of luck

    :)

    I've been putting a drop of rescue remedy and vervain in the water and he has a DAP collar on (though it may be at the end of it's time).

    I took him for a walk in the park after the trauma of the vets (he was shaking like a leaf when we were there) and he was happy out, loves meeting other dogs though more wary of people, paid no heed to the water or ducks, just enjoyed trotting along. I even got compliments on how lovely he is. Now if he would only believe it ;) T


  • #5
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,770 Mod ✭✭✭✭DBB


    Pinkness on the toes is an indirect cause of licking/saliva staining. The colour is actually caused by a fungus called Malasezzia sp., which thrives in damp spots.
    Licking very commonly starts due to unsuitable food causing irritation between the toes, the dog starts licking, and the fungus (and bacteria) starts to grow, and overgrow. So, the dog needs to be treated with an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial shampoo, because the fungus perpetuates the itch.
    You can possibly try a home-made remedy of one part apple cider vinegar to four parts water, with a spoonful of boric acid.
    I'm always puzzled about how poor some vets are on skin conditions!


  • #6
    Tea Tree
    Closed Accounts Posts: 116 ✭✭Tea Tree


    DBB wrote: »
    Pinkness on the toes is an indirect cause of licking/saliva staining. The colour is actually caused by a fungus called Malasezzia sp., which thrives in damp spots.
    Licking very commonly starts due to unsuitable food causing irritation between the toes, the dog starts licking, and the fungus (and bacteria) starts to grow, and overgrow. So, the dog needs to be treated with an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial shampoo, because the fungus perpetuates the itch.
    You can possibly try a home-made remedy of one part apple cider vinegar to four parts water, with a spoonful of boric acid.
    I'm always puzzled about how poor some vets are on skin conditions!

    Gosh! Thanks for that DBB!


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  • #7
    ZiabR
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,575 ✭✭✭ZiabR


    DBB wrote: »
    Pinkness on the toes is an indirect cause of licking/saliva staining. The colour is actually caused by a fungus called Malasezzia sp., which thrives in damp spots.
    Licking very commonly starts due to unsuitable food causing irritation between the toes, the dog starts licking, and the fungus (and bacteria) starts to grow, and overgrow. So, the dog needs to be treated with an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial shampoo, because the fungus perpetuates the itch.
    You can possibly try a home-made remedy of one part apple cider vinegar to four parts water, with a spoonful of boric acid.
    I'm always puzzled about how poor some vets are on skin conditions!

    Solid advice there DBB, fair play.


  • #8
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,770 Mod ✭✭✭✭DBB


    I must also add that another common cause for itchy feet is harvest mites, which were infesting dogs at a shocking rate in the dry summer last year. they start at the feet and crawl up the legs onto the chest, giving a distinctive horseshoe shape to the infestation when you view the dog from the front. They often also gather around the base of the tail. The mites themselves are orange-coloured, just about visible to the naked eye, and they are ITCHY. They climb onto humans too, and I have felt their wrath. Oh lordy. My eyes are watering at the memory of the itch:o
    So, the dog will often lick his itchy paws, and then you get the secondary Malasezzia infection, which persists even after the mites are gone (and they die off after the first frosts... or when you treat your dog for them).
    So, there's a pretty good chance that's what's going on with your fella Tea Tree :)


  • #9
    Tea Tree
    Closed Accounts Posts: 116 ✭✭Tea Tree


    Thanks DBB.
    Might the ear infection also be related? Any ideas where one would get boric acid? :o

    Back to trying to get him to lick/ chew other things. He just looked at the Kong.. brought it to his bed and lay beside it for half an hour :o I tipped some food out of it..... he would eat it then wait for me to tip some more out. He just didnt get the point of it! I'll keep trying!


  • #10
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,770 Mod ✭✭✭✭DBB


    Tea Tree wrote: »
    Might the ear infection also be related? Any ideas where one would get boric acid?

    Itchy feet and itchy ears often go together, and again my guess is that your dog has (or had) a problem with the food he was being fed, and possibly a concurrent harvest mite infestation.
    Boric acid is available in any chemist!
    Back to trying to get him to lick/ chew other things. He just looked at the Kong.. brought it to his bed and lay beside it for half an hour :o I tipped some food out of it..... he would eat it then wait for me to tip some more out. He just didnt get the point of it! I'll keep trying!

    I'd start by smearing stuff on it, on the outside of it, and let him lick it off the outside. When he gets the idea, then you can start putting smear-y stuff up inside it. Dry food in normal Kongs doesn't work so well, it empties out too quickly. Dry food isn't all that motivating to many dogs either.


  • #11
    Tea Tree
    Closed Accounts Posts: 116 ✭✭Tea Tree


    Thanks DBB,
    I'll get the vinegar etc today and do his feet.

    With the first kong attempt it had chicken in it and the second it was mince :) the day before I smeared a rubbery bone thing with peanut butter and he licked the floor around it and then just lay in front of it licking his paws! I really think it's that he was probably shouted at/ hit/ kicked for taking anything in his mouth before and he is afraid to. I'll keep trying with other tasty smeary stuff:pac:... hopefully he'll learn to trust us and relax with it.

    While he's very wary of people he is really good with other dogs and one surprising turn of events has been that my other dog reactive dog (sometimes) has started letting him taking the lead when we meet other dogs. She calmly hangs back by my side and lets him do the dog talking because he's better at that than she is. So she's helping him with people and the world in general and he's helping her with her dog thing :)


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