sore paws

collyb1

Hi, my dog has really sore paws...it started in march last year, he started licking his paws alot and they became very red and raw looking, then he got big lumps in between each toe...the vet gave me antibiotics and that cleared it up but after a couple of days they flared up again..he has been back and forth to the vet, also i have changed his food a few times, tried wearing booties, sprays and foot baths..we believed it was an allergy to grass, so removed all grass outta of the garden which hasnt made a difference..his paws get very swollen and also he finds it very difficult to walk on them sometimes. does anybody know of anything i could try to help him as i am out of ideas?

Oscar15

Our staffie had bad allergies and used to lick his paws until they were raw. We used aloe Vera gel - it's very soothing and harmless if they lick it. We used to put it on his paws then put socks on him to stop him going at them.

collyb1

Thanks Oscar15, i'll give that a try..

borderlinemeath

What foods have you tried? Anything grain free? You might need to try a complete exclusion diet - cutting everything out except one source of protein and better still a not so common one, you'll find that chicken or poultry meal is used in about 90% of foods because it's cheapest, you might need to try something that is exclusively turkey based, or duck, or better still fish. Better still would be to try a fresh or raw food diet, there's plenty of threads on it if you search.

collyb1

He has always been on a hypoallergenic dog food, the breeder had him on james wellbeloved turkey and veg, i switched him onto wafcol salmon and potato about a month after the issue with his paws started, he also been on home cooked food, and the raw food diet, but none of these foods have made a difference to his paws...he is now on skinners duck and rice but only started that last week so maybe too soon to see a change..

borderlinemeath

How long did you have him on the different foods each time? It can take a couple of months to see results and with dry food he may have a storage mite allergy, they're ever present in dry foods. What breed is he by the way?

collyb1

when i switched to wafcol, he was on that for around 6months, then home cooked dinners 3months, and the raw food he was on for 5weeks which he didnt like very much at all...he is a shar pei...

muddypaws

OP, I'm sure the vet has done it, but have you been treating him for mites etc?

Something else to consider is what washing powder and/or floor cleaner you use. Do you use anything on your carpets, such as shake and vac? (if thats still on the market)

Have you spoken to the breeder you got him from, or to the shar pei club?

collyb1

Yes the vet ruled out mites, he reckons its just a condition he has and will need to be on tablets all the time for it...each time he is put on a course of antibiotics it takes longer to clear up...i changed washing powder and floor cleaners even just wash floors in plain water, also changed duvets and blankets, changed everything that he comes into contact with in the house and nothing has made any difference...only have carpet on the stairs, i use to use shake and vac but not for a long time, only hoover and steam the carpet now..i havent had any contact with the breeder since a few weeks of me buying him, i have looked for the shar pei club but when i google it doesnt seem to be one in Ireland..

muddypaws

I've sent you a pm with details of a friend who has Shar Peis, not sure if you can reply to pms as you're such a new poster, but it was sent, so hopefully will arrive safely

DBB

Poor Shar Peis are terriibly prone to skin problems
OP, assuming that your dog has some form of atopy, has your vet brought up the possibility of giving him immunosuppressants, if only to see what happens? Steroids suppress the immunity, but there is also a powerful and very effective medication called Atopica... not sure if it would suit your fella or not, but maybe worth ruling it in or out with your vet.

collyb1

I have 3 peis and only 1 seems to have all the problems..no always get antibiotics, sometimes anti inflammatories and sometimes a couple of injections..smae thing all the time, he gets the tablets, paws heal up and a couple of days off the tablets and the paws are back in the same state... I've never heard of atopica but i will defo ask the vet about that, thank you..

aonb

It is SO frustrating and depressing to have something like this keep recurring. I had a dog with a recurring skin problem for years, tried everything, the multiple vets we tried could never find the source. Eventually diet sorted him, or relieved the problem to be negligible at least. Sounds like you have tried the food route. As DBB suggested, the immuno suppressants are very def worth looking in to. Maybe after that if not resolved, you might look in to alternative solutions - we had great success after much trouble with a horse and chinese herbal medicine (jeez the things we do for our animals!) but I feel your pain OP, hope you get him sorted - let us know how it goes?

collyb1

I've been using manuka honey over a week now and his paws ar lookin great, thanks for all advise...vet says that his pads need hardening, hes only walked on concrete and i've been giving him baths everyday in epsom salts for a few months now, pads are still super soft...anybody know what else could help to harden them...?!

allan450

methylated spirits well harden them up.

collyb1

he still has a few raw bits, should i wait until they heal up before using it and how long do i leave paws in it and often to do it, thanks..?!

allan450

hibiscrub wash the paws 2 times daily.well soak the paws morning and eve for 10mins in a basin if possible.That will sort out the sores.then do the same with the spirits.best of luck

collyb1

allan450 wrote: »

hibiscrub wash the paws 2 times daily.well soak the paws morning and eve for 10mins in a basin if possible.That will sort out the sores.then do the same with the spirits.best of luck

Thank you...