Author TB Thompson DVM has been a licensed, practicing veterinarian since 2000.
Every spring and fall I get some form of the following question from my dog loving clients: “Why does my dog lick his paws constantly? Seriously–he is literally licking his paws raw!”
While this situation is extremely common among dogs, it’s not always obvious how to help them. I’m going to share some tips I’ve learned over the last 25 years as a veterinarian and a dog guardian.
KEY POINTS
- The most common reason dogs lick their feet is allergies.
- A dog’s feet have inflammatory cells that react to allergens they walk on such as pollen.
- Daily foot washing can decrease an allergic dog’s need for other treatments.
Why Do Dogs Lick Their Paws Excessively?
The most common reason dogs lick their paws is itchiness due to skin allergies.
Skin allergies (atopic dermatitis or AD) occur when inflammatory cells in the skin overreact to environmental substances. There is a high concentration of these cells in the skin of a dog’s feet.(1) A dog’s bare feet are constantly exposed to allergens that activate these cells.
Pollen is the most dog allergen. Others include dust mites, grass, wool and even humans. Thank goodness that last one is rare!
Many dogs have flare-ups of itchy paws in the spring and fall. You might see increased foot-licking or biting for a few weeks before pollen levels drop.
Symptoms
- Chewing/licking tops or bottoms of paws
- Fur loss between toe pads
- Red, pink or blackish discoloration of fur
- Skin swollen and red between the toes and pads
- Moistness between toes and pads
- Odor of corn chips or popcorn-stronger than normal
- Pain, limping, reluctance to walk on gravel
- Other allergies symptoms: red/runny eyes, red ears, itchy skin all over, itchy lips, itchy bottom, sores, scabs, hair loss, areas of flakey dry skin, bumps, pustules, increased black pigmentation, thickened “elephant” skin.
8 Home Remedies for Dog Foot Licking
In this section, I’ll discuss things to improve your dog’s overall health. We don’t have clinical studies to back up any of these things, but pet owners as well as veterinarians recommend these tips based on experience. Working to decrease nutritional, physical and emotional stress may help your dog’s allergy flares to be fewer and milder.
Editor’s Note: NaturalPetsHQ.com is supported by readers and may earn for purchases made through links in this post.
1. Improve the diet
One of the best ways to improve your dog’s overall health is through his food. It’s important to feed your dog a balanced, nutritionally complete diet but beyond that, there are many ways to do dog food well.
If you’re currently feeding a store-brand food and storing it for months, it’s easy to up your game by switching to premium dog foods bought in smaller quantities. Buy a small, fresh bag every couple of weeks instead of buying a king-sized bag and storing it in the garage for months. The fats and other nutrients break down quickly so your dog doesn’t get as much benefit from stale dry dog food.
Consider adding some fresh foods to your dog’s diet in the form of very lean, cooked meats and smaller amounts of dog-safe cooked minced vegetables and fruits. Veterinary nutritionists say you can feed up to about 25% of your dog’s daily intake as fresh foods.
If you want to feed more than 25% of your dog’s diet from fresh foods, check out my articles on homemade food for dogs.
2. Omega-3 fatty acids
Take advantage of the anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil supplements won’t help in the short term since they take 4-8 weeks to produce results. The idea is that you give your pet fish oil daily in order to decrease future flares, so start today! I wrote an article about how to give your dog fish oil supplements.
You could also feed your pooch a commercial dog food with increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids such as Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach.
3. Probiotic supplements
Probiotic supplements are widely embraced by the veterinary community as safe and possibly beneficial to many canine health conditions. We know that the biggest part of the immune system is in the gut. Seeding friendly bacteria to the gut can have a good effect on the entire body.
I wrote an entire article about the benefits of probiotics and how to choose a good one for your dog.
More from NPHQ Veterinarian
Learn more about probiotics for dogs…
4. Decrease stress
Many clinical studies have been done in humans and other species on the effects of stress on allergies. While the relationship is not well-defined, it seems that stress can make allergy symptoms worse in susceptible individuals (4).
Dog stress might look different than human stress, but the effects are the same. The sources of stress for most dogs probably come from not being allowed to express their normal behaviors. This includes not enough exercise, not enough outdoor activity/sunshine, and not enough good sleep.
Please make time to walk your dog daily. Try to visit new places and let your dog explore natural areas (in a safe way, of course). Turn the lights, televisions and computers off at night so everyone can sleep in the dark.
5. Clean the home environment
Dust and dust mites are a problem for some allergic dogs. It’s a good routine to wash your dog’s bedding at least once a month in warm water and let it dry in the sun. When he’s having a flare-up, you might want to do this weekly.
Vacuum/mop the floors and dust your furniture at least once a week. Avoid using strong fragrances and cleaning products.
During high pollen times of the year, don’t leave your doors and windows open. Invest in a good HEPA air purifier (click the picture below to see the one I use in my own home). Change your HVAC air filters every one to six months depending on which kind you use.
6. Aloe vera gel
Aloe vera gel (click to see my favorite brand on Amazon) can be applied topically to soothe irritated skin. Small amounts of aloe vera shouldn’t cause any problems if your dog licks it. In rare cases, dogs can be sensitive to aloe vera so discontinue its use if the skin starts looking worse after applying it.
7. Tea foot rinses
Tea rinses are a traditional remedy for itchy skin. Use dried calendula, chamomile, green tea, nettle, or yellow dock to make the herbal tea.
Add one tablespoon herb to one cup of boiling water, steep for five minutes. Strain off the herb, then allow the tea to completely cool. Fill a dish with the tea and have your dog stand in it for five to ten minutes twice a day.
Alternatively, use a clean cloth soaked with the tea and apply it as a compress to the affected area of skin twice a day.
8. Antihistamines
Antihistamines like Benadryl may help stop a dog from licking his paws.
I find the sooner I start giving my itchy dogs antihistamine, the less likely they are to need stronger drugs. Start giving antihistamine at the first hint of a dog’s paw licking behavior and continue throughout the allergy season.
The antihistamines vets recommend for dogs most are diphenhydramine (Benadryl), cetirizine (Zyrtec), and chlorpheniramine.
Remember to discuss any new treatment with your veterinarian before starting.
More Treatment Tips for Itchy Dog Paws
This section covers treatment strategies for all dogs with itchy paws. You will need help from your veterinarian for some of these tips. Others you can implement on your own.
1. Treat secondary bacterial and yeast infections
Yeast infections occur secondary to allergic dermatitis. Yeast is not the root cause of the problem but they can make the itch much worse.
Allergic dogs can also develop a secondary Staphylococcus bacterial infection.(3) Again, it’s not the primary cause but it can make the symptoms worse.
Testing can help identify secondary skin infections. Appropriate treatment of the primary allergy and the secondary infection should be done at the same time. Ignoring one or the other will prolong your dog’s suffering.
2. Identify and avoid allergens
Recently planted grass, trees or shrubs could be causing your dog’s itchy paws. Intradermal skin testing by a veterinary dermatologist is the best way to know if a plant in your yard is making your dog bite and chew his feet.
You can also check local pollen reports online to figure out what your dog is reacting to. In my area, spring is filled with tree pollen while autumn is dominated by weed and grass pollen. Check it out for yourself: pollen.com.
To decrease overall exposure, avoid walking your dog during high-pollen times of the day. Pollen counts are highest between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., peaking again at dusk.
Since we believe dogs react to pollen ON their skin, not just what they inhale, they’ll still be in contact with allergens when they walk outside at any time of day. Still, it probably helps to avoid high-pollen times.
Foot coverings like dog shoes and socks help keep your pup’s feet clean when they walk outside during their bad allergy season. Most dogs need a day or two to get used to wearing booties, so don’t give up if he does some dramatic goose-stepping the first time you put his shoes on!
I bought each of my dogs a full set of RuffWear Grip Trex dog shoes years ago and have been happy with them.
I recommend using the little dog socks made by the same company under the shoes to prevent friction sores.
This model of dog shoes actually stays on their feet and the sole is thick enough to protect them from the cactus thorns in our neighborhood. I strongly recommend you get the RuffWear brand as many of the others I’ve seen don’t stay on or don’t hold up well over time.
[Video]
3. Wash their paws daily
Rinse your dog’s feet with lukewarm water two or three times a day, especially after spending time outdoors. I’ve found a fantastic tool to make this job quick and convenient!
This Dexas MudBuster Paw Cleaner device is simple but ingenious. It’s basically a big plastic cup with silicone “fingers” inside it. Just fill it about 3/4 full with warm water then dip one of your dog’s paws into it. Twist the cup a little to agitate the dirt on the paw. Keep a towel under the foot to catch drips. Dry the foot and repeat the process with the other three paws.
My dog has extremely sensitive feet and he doesn’t mind having me wash them with this portable dog paw washer. It works a lot better than trying to wash them in a dishpan and it’s a lot faster than putting him in the bathtub!
I was shocked at how dirty the water was even after taking a 15-minute walk. Some of that “dirt” is actually pollen and that’s the main reason my dog is licking his paws!
4. Wash the entire dog weekly
I recommend using Douxo Calm shampoo. Make sure you let the lather soak on your dog’s skin for about 10 minutes before rinsing. Take special care to wash and rinse her feet, between the toes on the tops and bottoms of all four feet.
After rinsing your dog, apply a leave-on creme rinse with the topical anesthetic pramoxine. Make sure to apply it between all of the toes, tops and bottoms of the feet.
5. Prescription medication for serious itch
Talk to your vet about prescription anti-itch medications.
- Topicals: I often prescribe topical products such as combination steroid/antibiotic sprays (like GenOne®) or mousses such as Douxo® Calm. These can provide itch relief in milder cases.
- Apoquel®: an anti-itch medication that works within a few hours and doesn’t bring the side effects caused by steroids. It comes in pill form to be given daily during allergy season.
- Cytopoint®: is another anti-itch medication given as an injection by your vet every 4-8 weeks. It is not a steroid and has a low incidence of side effects.
Summary
Skin allergy is the main cause of itchy paws in dogs. Most cases last a few weeks and resolve without specific treatment.
Home remedies include frequent bathing and avoidance of allergens. Prescription medication may be needed to treat dog with more serious cases of paw inflammation.
The content provided on NaturalPetsHQ.com is for general information only. It is not meant to replace individualized medical advice from your own veterinarian. Read more on the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use page.
Read a Related Post
Last update on 2025-01-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
