# Red, swollen paw: excessive licking



## LauraRose (Dec 26, 2012)

Hello, PF!

Some of you may remember my sweet Lula and I, though we've been absent for a year or more now due to some major life changes. 

Unfortunately, I come asking for help. Obviously, I will take Lula straight to the vet if I can't develop a safe short-term plan to see if she'll heal on her own. Trouble is, I am now a very poor graduate student living off loans, so... Just trying to do what I can at home. 

The facts:
Lula is 2.5yo, spayed, 15# mini. 
She's always been on raw and GF Fromm kibble, save a 3 month span when I tried her on Fromm's silver bag (with grain). She's been on Fromm Salmon Tunalini exclusively since Oct 1. She gets bully sticks and beef tendons as treats. Also plug and freeze her kong with PB or Greek yogurt or cheddar cheese. 
She guess what I would call moderate exercise, by which I mean 2 to 4 miles a day walking. The rest of the time she does spend in the apartment, the most days I am home with her for the majority of the time. When I leave the house she has begun to have some separation barking issues that has only come on since moving from our last house with two dogs who bullied her into our new house where she is the sole pet and we have no roommates: Oct 5. 
She's started having some urinary leaking while sleeping just after I switched her to the grain kibble, so I took her off that and went back to her original GF kibble. (Had tried the switch solely for financial reasons.) I felt horrible and found an online supplement for bladder Heath, [ame]http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000BXUWMM[/ame], which I began her on in late Oct. I also put a diaper on her at night on when I'd be away from the house for more than 4 hours. The leaking seems to distress her and sadly, I can't afford to do more laundry than I'm always doing.
Then the paw licking started. And that's my biggest concern now. 
Her left front paw is red and swollen between her middle two toes, where she concentrates her efforts. 
I've tried bitter apple spray - no effect except that she doesn't like it being sprayed on. 
Diluted AVC, seems to sting her. And she will lick all the more in attempt to remove it. 
I've been wiping her paws with unscented wipes after each walk and she gets a bath every week or two depending on her dirtiness and my schedule. 
I ceased the bladder pill 2 weeks ago thinking she's maybe allergic to that. 

At this point, I put a boot on her foot and she's sleeping. 

Can I put some sort of healing cream on and then the boot?
Is this anxiety and might she need Meds?
Is it an allergy to our new environment and she needs antihistamine? 
Could she have developed a bacterial or yeast infection on her paw? Is there a safe way for my to treat that? I do have that awesome Zymox ear wash and drops...

What can I safely try at home, while not letting this get worse?

Thank you, All. 
Lula is the love of my life and I'm just sick that her little paw is hurt.


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

The most likely cause of the sore paw is a grass seed or other burrowing seed that has penetrated the soft tissue between the toes of her foot. A penetration injury of the pads? You give very little information concerning this. Take a good photo and send. It could also be other things but in any case a vet will be needed. The foreign body must be removed or tumor excised. Has she been de_sexed? Incontinence after spaying is quite common especially if performed too early in life. For any benefits to be had with dietary changes I will leave that to those who might know. There is a possibility of a urinary tract infection. If the abscess or whatever on her foot is infected it could have lowered her immunity response and the UTI would be a result of that. Please give more info and if at all possible take her to a vet.
Eric.


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

It is so good to see you and Lula and get an update! 

The only thing one of my dogs have had that seems similar is when my English Bulldog got foxtails imbedded between his toes. Had to have them removed. He had quite a few though.

I hope you find answers and little Lula is feeling better soon!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Def. take to the Vet first, but I will tell you that my Teaka was a stress foot licker, and ultimately I learned to put a shoe on her to heal it because the pain from it being raw was self perpetuating, AND I learned to try to figure out what might be bothering her that started it - often a tummy ache or an ear infection. I have gotten so good at looking for the source, she has not gotten her foot raw in many years. She was a funny one with the shoes - of course I would take them off often to check on how the foot was healing, and when I thought it looked good, I would leave the shoe off, but she would instantly start licking again, so back on the shoe went. I soon learned that if I waited for HER to decide to take the shoe off, that she would leave it alone because it was her decision that she did not need it anymore!


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## Misfits (Dec 27, 2014)

N2Mischief said:


> It is so good to see you and Lula and get an update!
> 
> The only thing one of my dogs have had that seems similar is when my English Bulldog got foxtails imbedded between his toes. Had to have them removed. He had quite a few though.
> 
> I hope you find answers and little Lula is feeling better soon!


Years ago one of my tpoos also got a foxtail between her toes. It was red, inflamed and nasty looking in the space of a weekend and of course she would not stop licking it either. The vet on Monday thought she may have to sedate her to remove it but decided to try soaking her foot first and they did manage to get it out that way. Of course she would have never allowed me to soak her foot for that length of time! I believe she also needed antibiotics to get it cleared up. I hope you are able to find an easy solution. Just covering the foot to keep her from licking it is not going to solve the problem if there is something in there. Your pup really needs to see a vet.


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## LauraRose (Dec 26, 2012)

Thank you, Everyone. 
Honesty, I'm thinking it's anxiety, becoming a habit. She's had a stressful year. 

She has left the boot alone, but the moment I took it off to check the paw this morning, she tore into chewing at it. Chewing is new - she's only licked to this point. So, off to the vet we go. 
We have an appointment at 330 today. 

And of course, since I never drive my car, I notice upon outfitting it with her crate that it has a flat, so I'll have to carry her to the vet. lol. Oh well, I could use the arm workout. 

Will update once I lug her home. 
I expect a ruling of general anxiety and a localized yeast infection.


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

All good. Do let us all know how it all goes?
Eric.


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## Chagall's mom (Jan 9, 2010)

_Dang!_ Just saw your post and I'm sitting here fretting about your little *silver* darling! I was going to offer you to swing by (I think we're only an hour or so away) so I could 'treat' Lula to a visit to Chagall's veterinarian. (He's literally our neighbor.) I hope the appointment you had this afternoon was profitable, for you more so than the vet! Poor Lula, she must be sore and upset.:Cry: Worried about you both! Will stalk you here and on FB to see how things are. :kiss:


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I know you have been through a lot this year. So you moved twice after I last saw you? What a drag...

I hope you get things straightened out and that it is just a bit of stress. If so you could try a bit of Rescue Remedy at times where you think she is likely to get anxious.

Please update us! We've missed you and Lula.


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## LauraRose (Dec 26, 2012)

Thank you, All. <3

Her new vet diagnosed bacterial infection in her paw. That's the sole treatment goal, at this time. 
I'm not thrilled. 

We have 14 days of that, before doc wants to see her again. 

I will keep tweaking things, otherwise. 
All advice considered! <3


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

I guess it is just going to have to be a matter of figuring out how to manage the behavior. When Teaka was at her height of paw licking, I would try to anticipate any time that she might be stressed and put the boots on her before she even thought od starting. And as soon as I saw a lick, I would boot her and try to figure out if there was anything bothering her physically that I could address...


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## LauraRose (Dec 26, 2012)

Of course now she won't eat and is throwing up bile from the antibiotic. 
Poor puppy. 

Can I give her anything for the nausea? 
And what food can I offer her? Meat baby food?

Thank you!


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## ChantersMom (Aug 20, 2012)

Well, hello LauraRose. Yes, it's been awhile. 
I hope it all works out well for pup.


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## Manxcat (May 6, 2013)

Boiled mushy rice - not the easy cook kind - and some boiled chopped chicken breast... very gentle on dodgy tummies.

Nice to see you back LauraRose, sorry it is because Lula isn't well. Hope she's soon fighting fit again


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

Antibiotics I found go down better mid meal or after treat time, they are hard on an empty stomach hope Lula feels better soon


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I agree with Manxcat about rice and plain chicken. twyla that is a good idea about not giving the meds on an empty stomach too! I hope Lula feels better fast.


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## Bellesdad0417 (May 18, 2014)

Tiny Poodles said:


> Def. take to the Vet first, but I will tell you that my Teaka was a stress foot licker, and ultimately I learned to put a shoe on her to heal it because the pain from it being raw was self perpetuating, AND I learned to try to figure out what might be bothering her that started it - often a tummy ache or an ear infection. I have gotten so good at looking for the source, she has not gotten her foot raw in many years. She was a funny one with the shoes - of course I would take them off often to check on how the foot was healing, and when I thought it looked good, I would leave the shoe off, but she would instantly start licking again, so back on the shoe went. I soon learned that if I waited for HER to decide to take the shoe off, that she would leave it alone because it was her decision that she did not need it anymore!


Holy cow I've never thought of foot chewing/licking as a sign of any other kind of infection.

Finn actually just got back from the vet two days ago with the same foot chewing/licking issue until he was raw. They did say he had the beginings of an ear infection and are treating him for that, along with a steriod for the foot. I though he had some alegery It never occured to me it might be the ear infection. 

I did a food change a month ago so I thought it was that so I ran back out that night and bought the old brand of food and threw the other one away. The problem was the food change was from Orijen to Acana and I'm thinking really that can't be it.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Bellesdad0417 said:


> Holy cow I've never thought of foot chewing/licking as a sign of any other kind of infection.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



A food allergy could have been the start of the ear infection!
But yup for Teaka I figured out that the foot licking was always a sign that something else was bothering her.
Is that an oral steroid for the foot? I hope that does not cause yeast overgrowth and make the ear worse, which in turn could start the foot licking again!


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Vets are no more infallible than doctors. Keep your eye on the food it might still be a foreign body. You can not always see them.
Eric


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## LauraRose (Dec 26, 2012)

She continues to lick and even developed an eye infection from rubbing and scratching at that. 
She's been back to the vet, saw a different doctor, who said she otherwise looks fine and maybe just to let her lick. 
Obviously, I do not want her so anxious or otherwise distressed that she constantly licks herself. 
I asked for Prozac prescription, which I haven't filled yet due to it being $30 and my hesitation to put her on psychotropics. 
Then tonight while brushing her teeth, which I do 2-3 times a week, I noticed some bleeding at the gum sight just below her right eye, which was the infected eye just last week. 

I now think I need to have a proper dental exam done for her. 
Could all this licking be caused by dental pain? Oh my gosh I feel terrible it that's it. She always ate raw food and had RMBs until this summer when I could no longer afford to continue. 
She now eats Fromm GF.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Don't feel badly. They can't speak to us in obvious ways about what is bothering them. It is also not to their advantage to reveal weaknesses. I am sure you will get it figured out. I would get the dental check before filling that Rx.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Poor Lula, and Lula's mom! All this worrying about her foot, itching, eye, teeth etc. is bound to make anyone anxious. My old girl had a red foot that she kept licking, but I shaved it and actually found the fang marks of a spider bite. Her foot turned red overnight though; it was not a gradual thing. The vet gave her a steroid shot and had me give her benadryl. It took about a week for the toe that had the bite to look normal. We have brown recluse and black widows, so who knows what bit her.


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