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Dog licking paws

Species: Dog
Breed: golden
Age: 1-2 years
On Wednesday I noticed Max was licking his right rear paw. Last Saturday he had a vet visit so this was something new.

Brought him in Friday. Upon inspection he had bitten out the fur from his toes on exactly half the foot. Vet noticed sensitivity when touching it.
He was prescribed fusiderm for 3-5 days.

So far not much change.

Today I noticed him licking between the toes of his right front paw. Again, half the foot.

No redness between toes on the top.

Vet said he may have walked on something or insect bite? I'm starting to think its a reaction to something developping.

Sending pictures to info@


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi Jay. I see Max found something new to do to keep us worried now.

Thanks for the great pictures. I've included them here:

dog's foot is red

red between paws

At first glance this really looks like some sort of local reaction. I would be suspicious that he stepped on something or even has something stuck in there.

However, if it is now happening to another foot then there is a possibility that this is an allergic outbreak. Has he eaten anything new recently? I'll see things like this where a beef allergic dog eats a rawhide or gets tossed a piece of steak.

Another possibility is road salt. I've seen some dogs who get really irritated because of the salt on the roads at this time of year. The salt can cause some initial irritation and then the dog licks and makes it worse.

Keep up with the fuciderm cream. It contains antibiotic but also steroid which will help even if this is allergy. But, if it gets worse he may need some oral antibiotics. (Is he already on some? If so, he may need to have his dose upped, but check with your vet before doing so.)

I hope he improves soon!

Dr. Marie.




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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

The pictures make it look a bit redder than it really is.The hind foot (top) has shown improvement. Hes been on the cream since Friday afternoon and the vet said 3-5 days.

What's very strange is that he's only picked at the area behind one or two of the toes and left the rest alone, and both on the right foot.

The vet examined for any sign of skin damage. None.

His diet has only changed in 1 respect. As I mentioned before, he vomited some bile 11 days ago so I eliminated the liver treats. I introduced it at a lower amount about 5-6 days ago and no vomiting since. Anything is possible, but he had been on them since August.

The roads are clear here so no salt yet. Perhaps he walked on something?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

That's good that he is improving! It really kind of makes it look like he has some local irritation (i.e. he stepped on something), but it's kind of weird that it's affecting two feet.

I'm really doubtful that the liver treats are the culprit.

As with most things with Max, it's probably going to remain a mystery for now. If he's improving with the Fuciderm there is no harm in treating for a little longer if necessary. If it's going on longer than a week or getting worse at all then he'll need to go back to see his doctor. Or better yet, you could just rent a room at the vet clinic and sleep there, LOL.



Customer reply:

The sad thing is he loves going to the clinic. He's gets completely excited as soon as he sees us drive up.

I don't want to keep him on a steroid too long or the skin may thin.

I will bring him in tomorrow just because it seems to have spread.

Thanks

Jay




Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Low doses of steroids won't cause him to have thin skin. Chronic use of high doses can have serious side effects but the dose that Max would be on for allergies would not be detrimental to him.

What you mentioned about Max loving to go to the clinic reminded me of a commercial that used to be on the air. It showed this dog who kept on limping. The owner would drive him to the vet clinic and the vet couldn't find anything wrong. This kept on happening over and over again. It turned out that the commercial was for the car. The dog kept faking a limp so he could get a car ride.

We are off to some boxing day family fun today so I won't be online for a while.

...just got your pictures of Max at Christmas and Hallowe'en. He is so freaking cute!



Customer reply:

too funny!

Good luck with the sales.

Jay


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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.