Paw licking

[hippiechick]

I recently adopted Ray, a 6 year old Beagle who was found wandering around a junkyard, from the local Humane Society.

He's been with HippieDog Hank and me for 2 weeks, and thus far everything has gone great.

I noticed over the past 2 days that he is constantly licking at one of his back paws. Checked it out, and it's red/irritated around one of the 'toe pads' but doesn't look like he injured or cut it or anything ...

We've been to the vet twice already since I got him (once for his 'puppy intro' vaccination/de-worming and again for a follow up on some dental work the Humane Society did), so I'm not real psyched about having to fork over for another $40 office call.

Something bacterial ? Behavioral ? Breed-related ?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks !!!

:hi:

[roguevalley]

1. You might want to put some ointment on it. Dogs tend to take care

of cracked pads or such. A dab of bacitracin might do the trick. Or, if it isn't debilitating, you might let him take care of it. Their saliva is filled with stuff that heals wounds. Some dogs are foot proud and take care of them a lot.

[katamaran]

2. Allergies can cause a lot of licking

My oldest dog has a grass allergy. She licks her paws a lot whenever the grass is freshly mowed or in the late spring when the Bermuda grass starts to grow.

Even a little tiny prick from a thorn or scratch can cause a little irritation. And the more they lick, the more irritated it can become. We will sometimes wipe a little bitter apple on an irritated paw. Stings, but they won't lick it. Unless you have a dog like our middle one who loves the taste of it.

[livetohike]

3. The paw licking could be behavioral

Ray sounds like a cutie! Maybe he is just getting adjusted to being in his new environment and the paw licking is comforting to him. You could try an Elizabethan collar if you know of someone who has one (it's that gizmo that goes around their neck so he won't be able to lick his paw). This would give his paw a chance to dry out.

I looked up some info in my pet care "bible", The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats. Ray may be causing a fungus infection from the constant licking. If you are sure there are no thorns or burrs irritating that paw, or any mud stuck between his toe pads, then the licking may be behavioral.

[mopinko]

4. try a little benadryl, and wash the paw often

one people size benadryl/day. allergy stop shampoo, if you can get it. if it is allergic, he will be better in a couple of days.

[hippiechick]

5. Ray sez thanks everyone !!

:hi:

[Beaverhausen]

6. Oh- Ray is such a cutie!!!

:loveya:

Hope the paw licking thing clears up. :hi:

[ET Awful]

8. Awwwww Ray is one cute little guy :)

I love beagles :)

[Lowell]

7. We've had the same problem with our dogs

Watson, our 12 year old Jack Russell, licked his paw until it was all red and irritated. The vet gave us a shampoo with peroxide for him. After washing his paws twice to three times a day for a week it totally disappeared. And his paws were a nice white.